


Broken Open

by paddypads



Category: Glee
Genre: Friendship, M/M, Romance
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2012-04-07
Updated: 2012-04-07
Packaged: 2017-12-12 10:22:06
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 8
Words: 22,372
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/810482
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/paddypads/pseuds/paddypads
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Kurt Hummel really needs a coffee, which, in the grand scheme of things is a little thing. Sometimes though, all you really need is little things to start something much, much bigger. A Kurtbastian fic</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Hide here, Confide here

In retrospect, Kurt going to the Lima Bean right after Blaine split up with him was a turning point. At the time, it was nothing more than a convenient excuse to get out of the house. But more on that later. First, there is the break up itself.

Blaine had been different for weeks, and Kurt had noticed, of course he had. He was Blaine's boyfriend- it was his job to notice. It had taken him a while; at first when Blaine had stopped wanting to hold his hand, or kiss him in public, Kurt had ignored it. He had put it down to Blaine being insecure, and hadn't pushed the issue.

It wasn't until Blaine didn't want to do those things in private that Kurt began to get worried.

Justifiably worried, as it happened, because, one Saturday morning Blaine had come to Kurt's house, and told him that he was breaking up with him.

Kurt didn't really hear the rest of the speech. It wasn't until Blaine looked at him, and begged him to just say _something_ that Kurt had finally spoken.

'I think you should go.' Kurt had whispered.

Blaine had nodded silently, and left.

To clarify- Kurt hadn't intended to end up at the Lima Bean. It had just happened; he had left the house, and had driven without really having the coffee shop as a fixed destination from the outset. The hot coffee regrettably did nothing to spur feeling back into him, and even after spending literally _hours_ staring at the post on his newsfeed that read _**Blaine Anderson has gone from being "in a relationship" to being "single"**_ Kurt hadn't yet cried. He wanted to cry, for closure, for the sake of feeling something, and because wasn't that what you were supposed to do after a break up? All he could do was feel faintly sick.

Kurt hadn't meant to end up at the Lima Bean, but he did. And so, by coincidence, did one Sebastian Smythe.

If Kurt had been able to cry, if he had gone anywhere but the Lima Bean, then it would have been a break up like any other. An end, a failure, a mistake. Nothing good would have come of it. But, on that rainy April afternoon, Kurt Hummel really, _really_ needed a coffee, and so a simple, if upsetting, parting of ways became much, much more than that. It became a beginning, a chance, and just a tiny sliver of hope.

* * *

Kurt's coffee has gone cold. He looks at it forlornly, and decides that today really can't get any worse.

'Did the nasty coffee cup offend you, Gay Face?' asks a mocking tone from behind him.

It is Sebastian- the only thing that _could_ make the day worse. Kurt wonders why life hates him today.

'What do you want, Sebastian?' Kurt groans, without turning around. 'The smell of sleaze is starting to make me feel sick, and I really don't want to put up with your company.'

'Where's the gay hobbit?' Sebastian asks, sidling around the table to sit down opposite Kurt.

'At home, I guess.' Kurt replies stiffly. If Sebastian doesn't know about Blaine's new status as a single man, he sure as hell isn't going to be the one to tell him.

'Trouble in paradise?'

'Look.' Kurt glares at him, but his heart isn't really in it. 'I'm really not in the mood for you today, so you can just get back to your street corner and leave me alone.'

'Yeah, well. I'm not in the mood for you, either.' Sebastian retorts with a sigh.

'And yet here we both are.' Kurt raises an eyebrow, and relaxes just a little.

Sebastian laughs. 'Here we are.' A pause. 'I'm going to get another coffee- do you want one?'

Kurt is thrown by the offer, but nods anyway, because he really does need caffeine. 'Non-fat mocha.' He tells Sebastian, who nods back.

'I'll be right back.' And, with something that might be a friendly smile, Sebastian is gone.

It takes a whole minute for Kurt to realise that Sebastian's eyes are red, and just a little puffy. He has been crying. In a perverse sort of a way, it is nice to know that someone else is having a bad day.

Sebastian returns with Kurt's coffee, and sets the cup in front of him, without speaking. Kurt wonders how he could have missed the red puffiness of the other boy's eyes, because now that he's seen it, it's horribly obvious.

'Thanks.' Kurt unsuccessfully attempts a smile.

'Consider it the fee to join your pity party.' Sebastian says, with just a trace of his usual carefree tone.

'Why'd you need a pity party?' Kurt wonders aloud, and then he gives himself a mental kick because this is Sebastian bloody Smythe, and it's therefore none of Kurt's business.

Sure enough, the question is followed by an uncomfortable silence.

'My mom's sick.' Sebastian says, eventually, and Kurt feels a pang of sympathy in his chest, because he knows what that's like. 'Like, really sick. I'm worried about her.'

Kurt nods. 'd'you… wants talk about it?'

Sebastian shakes his head. 'Not really, no.' he sighs. 'I'm not even sure why I told you.'

'Nor am I.' Kurt sighs, and runs his hand through his hair. They sit in silence for a while longer, until they have both finished their coffee. Kurt thinks about how the two of them have been sighing quite a lot today.

'Kurt…' Sebastian looks at him, long and hard, as if he's trying to stare right through him. 'Are you… okay?'

'no.' Kurt smiles weakly. 'Not really. But I'll cope.'

Sebastian nods. 'If you want to talk… I mean, I guess the offer goes both ways, yeah?'

Kurt thinks that maybe, Sebastian isn't just being polite, that this is almost a very tentative offer of friendship. So he meets Sebastian's eyes and says 'thank you.'

Sebastian's mouth twitches in what might be the start of a smile, and Kurt makes a quick decision.

He has a pen in his pocket, from the last time he wore these trousers to school, and he uses it to scribble his number on a napkin, which he then pushes across the table to Sebastian.

'If you need to talk to someone, text me.' He says, before standing to leave.

Sebastian doesn't say anything, but Kurt can see the gratitude in his eyes.

On the drive home, he realises that maybe, Sebastian isn't so bad.

* * *

The next morning, Kurt is woken up by his phone going off. The message alert isn't one of the personalised ones he uses for his close friends, and for a moment he is thrown. The number isn't a familiar one either, and Kurt deliberates for a moment before opening the message.

**FROM: UNKNOWN NUMBER (9:43AM)**

**It's Sebastian. I saw Blaine's relationship status- you okay?**

Kurt hastily saves the number, and types out a reply

_**TO: Sebastian (9:47AM)** _

_**As I said yesterday, I'm feeling pretty terrible. What about you?** _

**FROM: Sebastian (9:50 AM)**

**Also terrible. It's an unusual feeling for me- does this happen to everyone?**

_**TO: Sebastian (9:51AM)** _

_**To most people, yeah. Do you want to talk?** _

**FROM: Sebastian (9:57AM)**

**Yeah. I want to talk- but not over text. Can you meet me?**

_**TO: Sebastian (10:00AM)** _

_**I might regret this, but sure. When and where?** _

**FROM: Sebastian (10:05AM)**

**Text me your address. I'll pick you up at 12.**

Kurt frowns at the text. He isn't sure that this is a good idea, because this is Sebastian, who nearly blinded Blaine and tried to blackmail Rachel. Then he remembers that this is Sebastian, whose mother is seriously ill, who nearly cried when he heard about Karofsky, who raised almost one thousand dollars for the Born This Way foundation, and then used his own money to make it up to $1500.

Kurt texts Sebastian his address, then goes to have a shower.

When the doorbell rings at quarter past twelve, Kurt makes sure that he is the one to answer it. He has cleared the afternoon excursion with his father, on the condition that he is back by six for a family dinner.

Sebastian is dressed in a grey shirt, black skinny jeans, red sneakers, and is wearing glasses. It is the glasses that surprise Kurt most.

'I lost my contacts.' Sebastian shrugs, by way of explanation. 'You're dressed like a boy today. You look like a tomboy.' He gestures to Kurt's outfit, which actually looks sort of like the Dalton uniform, with the shirt and blazer, but with jeans, not the smart grey Dalton uniform trousers.

'You have no fashion sense.' Kurt retorts, but the remarks are friendly.

'Sure, sure.' Sebastian laughs. 'Now, come on, lunch is calling.'

'We're having lunch?' Kurt asks, surprised.

'Yeah. I know this great place, but we're gonna have to drive back up to Westerville.' Sebastian pauses. 'If you're okay with that, I mean.'

'Lunch is good.' Kurt says, and follows Sebastian to his car- a red and white Camaro with black go faster stripes on the bonnet.

Lunch _is_ good- the café/restaurant that Sebastian has chosen is nicely out of the way, and makes a change from Breadstix. Kurt has a Chicken Caesar Salad, and Sebastian has a Panini, and it isn't until they are halfway through their meals that either of them speaks.

'So… I guess I'll start.' Sebastian says, without meeting Kurt's eyes. 'My mom's been ill on and off since she had me, but never with anything too serious. I was her second kid- and after her first pregnancy she was told that having another baby might lead to… complications. She and my dad managed for ten years- so there's quite an age gap between me and Charlie. But then I came along. I was a mistake, I guess- but my mom always calls me a surprise. But her immune system got weak when she had me, so she gets colds, stomach bugs and whatever all the time, but other than that she's been pretty healthy and active.

'Last year she was diagnosed with Chronic Fatigue Syndrome, and one of the symptoms of that is unexplained headaches- so when my mom complained to the doctors about getting headaches all the time, they told her not to worry. Yesterday morning she told me that she-' Sebastian's voice cracks, and Kurt watches, feeling helpless as the other boy blinks back tears. 'She's got a brain tumour.' Sebastian wipes his eyes again, and Kurt reaches across the table and takes hold of his free hand, desperate to offer some kind of comfort.

'They said… they said that they can operate, but it has to be soon. Surgery's in a week and a half, right in the middle of spring break. I'm just… really worried about her.'

'It's okay.' Kurt says, even though he knows that he can't promise it. 'It's alright. She'll be fine. They can operate. But until then, if you need me, I'm here. I lost my mom; I know how much being able to talk about it helps.'

Sebastian smiles, and takes a sip of his iced tea. He doesn't move his hand away from Kurt's, but there's nothing romantic about it- it's more like they're holding on to each other, simply for something to cling to.

'Thank you.' Sebastian says. 'It means a lot.' He laughs. 'More than I thought it would, to be honest.'

Kurt almost laughs too, but he doesn't have it in him to laugh and be okay yet, so he just smiles, because right now, that's the best he can do.

'It's your turn.' Sebastian tells him. 'What happened? I thought you two were disgustingly in love.'

'So did I.' Kurt admits. 'I guess we were both wrong.' He shrugs, and looks away. He's not sure he can look someone in the eyes while he tells this story. 'I sort of zoned out after "I'm breaking up with you, Kurt" but he said something like…' Kurt pauses, and takes a deep breath because he feels like he's choking on the words. 'he said that because I'm hopefully going away to NYADA, that we shouldn't have total separation then, that we should go from boyfriends to friends, like… like stepping stones or something.'

'Well, shit.' Sebastian says his voice full of sympathy, which Kurt somehow wasn't expecting. 'I mean… that's not even a good reason for a start.'

Kurt nods, because he's not really sure what to do now.

'Blaine's hot, he's got a nice ass and a great set of pipes on him, but seriously Kurt- if he's gonna act like that, even if he thinks this is in both of your best interests, you shouldn't bother.' Sebastian shakes his head, and Kurt is surprised to hear the indignant tone in Sebastian's voice.

'I wish it were that easy.' Kurt sighs, and retracts his hand, running it through his fringe. 'I mean… I can't just get over him, you know? I need time, and I'm going to have to face him tomorrow.'

'I've never had a boyfriend to break up with.' Sebastian shrugs. 'I mean, I don't do relationships.'

'Slut.' Kurt says, but all Sebastian does is laugh.

'You're just too heartbroken to admit that I'm insanely attractive.' Sebastian tells him, with a wink, and Kurt almost laughs, but it catches in his throat, and he just ends up coughing instead.

'Easy there.' Sebastian smirks. 'Can't have you choking to death on my watch.' He pauses a moment, and then continues in his earlier vein. 'I've never had a break up, because relationships in general seem like they suck. Normally I'd tell you to get laid, or something. But it's you, so you wouldn't anyway, and I kinda doubt that you'd feel better after the post-orgasm haze cleared-'

'Sebastian!' Kurt gasps. 'That's… we're in public, can you maybe not be inappropriate?'

'You love it really.' Sebastian smiles, and Kurt just shakes his head in amused frustration.

Sebastian insists on paying for Kurt's meal, because "I'm the rich one here" and Kurt tells him that he hates him, but he says it with a smile, and they both know that it's no longer true. When Sebastian drops Kurt home, he hugs him goodbye and Burt's first question is to ask if there is anything going on with Kurt and Sebastian. Kurt shakes his head, and tells his dad that they're just being one another's emotional crutches, to which Burt Hummel raises an eyebrow, but says nothing.

Much later, Kurt is sitting on his bed, reading a magazine when his phone goes off, and from the generic beeping, he knows it's a text from Sebastian.

**FROM: Sebastian (9:44PM)**

**I'm getting an early night, so- goodnight, Kurt.**

**And, for the record, Blaine's an idiot for dumping you. You can do better.**

Even though the words are generic, it is the first time that it has been said to Kurt, and before he can do anything, he is crying. He buries his face into his pillow, and sobs so hard that his chest aches and his throat hurts. He isn't sure how long he's there, but when he finally stops, Kurt thinks that maybe, he feels a little better.

Kurt falls asleep almost immediately after he finishes his moisturising routine. He is going to need all the sleep he can get, because tomorrow he has to go to school and face Blaine. Kurt isn't sure if he can, but he will try anyway, because he is Kurt Hummel, and he is strong, even when he isn't.


	2. Hide here, Confide here

 

In retrospect, Kurt going to the Lima Bean right after Blaine split up with him was a turning point. At the time, it was nothing more than a convenient excuse to get out of the house. But more on that later. First, there is the break up itself.

Blaine had been different for weeks, and Kurt had noticed, of course he had. He was Blaine's boyfriend- it was his job to notice. It had taken him a while; at first when Blaine had stopped wanting to hold his hand, or kiss him in public, Kurt had ignored it. He had put it down to Blaine being insecure, and hadn't pushed the issue.

It wasn't until Blaine didn't want to do those things in private that Kurt began to get worried.

Justifiably worried, as it happened, because, one Saturday morning Blaine had come to Kurt's house, and told him that he was breaking up with him.

Kurt didn't really hear the rest of the speech. It wasn't until Blaine looked at him, and begged him to just say _something_ that Kurt had finally spoken.

'I think you should go.' Kurt had whispered.

Blaine had nodded silently, and left.

To clarify- Kurt hadn't intended to end up at the Lima Bean. It had just happened; he had left the house, and had driven without really having the coffee shop as a fixed destination from the outset. The hot coffee regrettably did nothing to spur feeling back into him, and even after spending literally _hours_ staring at the post on his newsfeed that read _**Blaine Anderson has gone from being "in a relationship" to being "single"**_ Kurt hadn't yet cried. He wanted to cry, for closure, for the sake of feeling something, and because wasn't that what you were supposed to do after a break up? All he could do was feel faintly sick.

Kurt hadn't meant to end up at the Lima Bean, but he did. And so, by coincidence, did one Sebastian Smythe.

If Kurt had been able to cry, if he had gone anywhere but the Lima Bean, then it would have been a break up like any other. An end, a failure, a mistake. Nothing good would have come of it. But, on that rainy April afternoon, Kurt Hummel really, _really_ needed a coffee, and so a simple, if upsetting, parting of ways became much, much more than that. It became a beginning, a chance, and just a tiny sliver of hope.

* * *

Kurt's coffee has gone cold. He looks at it forlornly, and decides that today really can't get any worse.

'Did the nasty coffee cup offend you, Gay Face?' asks a mocking tone from behind him.

It is Sebastian- the only thing that _could_ make the day worse. Kurt wonders why life hates him today.

'What do you want, Sebastian?' Kurt groans, without turning around. 'The smell of sleaze is starting to make me feel sick, and I really don't want to put up with your company.'

'Where's the gay hobbit?' Sebastian asks, sidling around the table to sit down opposite Kurt.

'At home, I guess.' Kurt replies stiffly. If Sebastian doesn't know about Blaine's new status as a single man, he sure as hell isn't going to be the one to tell him.

'Trouble in paradise?'

'Look.' Kurt glares at him, but his heart isn't really in it. 'I'm really not in the mood for you today, so you can just get back to your street corner and leave me alone.'

'Yeah, well. I'm not in the mood for you, either.' Sebastian retorts with a sigh.

'And yet here we both are.' Kurt raises an eyebrow, and relaxes just a little.

Sebastian laughs. 'Here we are.' A pause. 'I'm going to get another coffee- do you want one?'

Kurt is thrown by the offer, but nods anyway, because he really does need caffeine. 'Non-fat mocha.' He tells Sebastian, who nods back.

'I'll be right back.' And, with something that might be a friendly smile, Sebastian is gone.

It takes a whole minute for Kurt to realise that Sebastian's eyes are red, and just a little puffy. He has been crying. In a perverse sort of a way, it is nice to know that someone else is having a bad day.

Sebastian returns with Kurt's coffee, and sets the cup in front of him, without speaking. Kurt wonders how he could have missed the red puffiness of the other boy's eyes, because now that he's seen it, it's horribly obvious.

'Thanks.' Kurt unsuccessfully attempts a smile.

'Consider it the fee to join your pity party.' Sebastian says, with just a trace of his usual carefree tone.

'Why'd you need a pity party?' Kurt wonders aloud, and then he gives himself a mental kick because this is Sebastian bloody Smythe, and it's therefore none of Kurt's business.

Sure enough, the question is followed by an uncomfortable silence.

'My mom's sick.' Sebastian says, eventually, and Kurt feels a pang of sympathy in his chest, because he knows what that's like. 'Like, really sick. I'm worried about her.'

Kurt nods. 'd'you… wants talk about it?'

Sebastian shakes his head. 'Not really, no.' he sighs. 'I'm not even sure why I told you.'

'Nor am I.' Kurt sighs, and runs his hand through his hair. They sit in silence for a while longer, until they have both finished their coffee. Kurt thinks about how the two of them have been sighing quite a lot today.

'Kurt…' Sebastian looks at him, long and hard, as if he's trying to stare right through him. 'Are you… okay?'

'no.' Kurt smiles weakly. 'Not really. But I'll cope.'

Sebastian nods. 'If you want to talk… I mean, I guess the offer goes both ways, yeah?'

Kurt thinks that maybe, Sebastian isn't just being polite, that this is almost a very tentative offer of friendship. So he meets Sebastian's eyes and says 'thank you.'

Sebastian's mouth twitches in what might be the start of a smile, and Kurt makes a quick decision.

He has a pen in his pocket, from the last time he wore these trousers to school, and he uses it to scribble his number on a napkin, which he then pushes across the table to Sebastian.

'If you need to talk to someone, text me.' He says, before standing to leave.

Sebastian doesn't say anything, but Kurt can see the gratitude in his eyes.

On the drive home, he realises that maybe, Sebastian isn't so bad.

* * *

The next morning, Kurt is woken up by his phone going off. The message alert isn't one of the personalised ones he uses for his close friends, and for a moment he is thrown. The number isn't a familiar one either, and Kurt deliberates for a moment before opening the message.

**FROM: UNKNOWN NUMBER (9:43AM)**

**It's Sebastian. I saw Blaine's relationship status- you okay?**

Kurt hastily saves the number, and types out a reply

_**TO: Sebastian (9:47AM)** _

_**As I said yesterday, I'm feeling pretty terrible. What about you?** _

**FROM: Sebastian (9:50 AM)**

**Also terrible. It's an unusual feeling for me- does this happen to everyone?**

_**TO: Sebastian (9:51AM)** _

_**To most people, yeah. Do you want to talk?** _

**FROM: Sebastian (9:57AM)**

**Yeah. I want to talk- but not over text. Can you meet me?**

_**TO: Sebastian (10:00AM)** _

_**I might regret this, but sure. When and where?** _

**FROM: Sebastian (10:05AM)**

**Text me your address. I'll pick you up at 12.**

Kurt frowns at the text. He isn't sure that this is a good idea, because this is Sebastian, who nearly blinded Blaine and tried to blackmail Rachel. Then he remembers that this is Sebastian, whose mother is seriously ill, who nearly cried when he heard about Karofsky, who raised almost one thousand dollars for the Born This Way foundation, and then used his own money to make it up to $1500.

Kurt texts Sebastian his address, then goes to have a shower.

When the doorbell rings at quarter past twelve, Kurt makes sure that he is the one to answer it. He has cleared the afternoon excursion with his father, on the condition that he is back by six for a family dinner.

Sebastian is dressed in a grey shirt, black skinny jeans, red sneakers, and is wearing glasses. It is the glasses that surprise Kurt most.

'I lost my contacts.' Sebastian shrugs, by way of explanation. 'You're dressed like a boy today. You look like a tomboy.' He gestures to Kurt's outfit, which actually looks sort of like the Dalton uniform, with the shirt and blazer, but with jeans, not the smart grey Dalton uniform trousers.

'You have no fashion sense.' Kurt retorts, but the remarks are friendly.

'Sure, sure.' Sebastian laughs. 'Now, come on, lunch is calling.'

'We're having lunch?' Kurt asks, surprised.

'Yeah. I know this great place, but we're gonna have to drive back up to Westerville.' Sebastian pauses. 'If you're okay with that, I mean.'

'Lunch is good.' Kurt says, and follows Sebastian to his car- a red and white Camaro with black go faster stripes on the bonnet.

Lunch _is_ good- the café/restaurant that Sebastian has chosen is nicely out of the way, and makes a change from Breadstix. Kurt has a Chicken Caesar Salad, and Sebastian has a Panini, and it isn't until they are halfway through their meals that either of them speaks.

'So… I guess I'll start.' Sebastian says, without meeting Kurt's eyes. 'My mom's been ill on and off since she had me, but never with anything too serious. I was her second kid- and after her first pregnancy she was told that having another baby might lead to… complications. She and my dad managed for ten years- so there's quite an age gap between me and Charlie. But then I came along. I was a mistake, I guess- but my mom always calls me a surprise. But her immune system got weak when she had me, so she gets colds, stomach bugs and whatever all the time, but other than that she's been pretty healthy and active.

'Last year she was diagnosed with Chronic Fatigue Syndrome, and one of the symptoms of that is unexplained headaches- so when my mom complained to the doctors about getting headaches all the time, they told her not to worry. Yesterday morning she told me that she-' Sebastian's voice cracks, and Kurt watches, feeling helpless as the other boy blinks back tears. 'She's got a brain tumour.' Sebastian wipes his eyes again, and Kurt reaches across the table and takes hold of his free hand, desperate to offer some kind of comfort.

'They said… they said that they can operate, but it has to be soon. Surgery's in a week and a half, right in the middle of spring break. I'm just… really worried about her.'

'It's okay.' Kurt says, even though he knows that he can't promise it. 'It's alright. She'll be fine. They can operate. But until then, if you need me, I'm here. I lost my mom; I know how much being able to talk about it helps.'

Sebastian smiles, and takes a sip of his iced tea. He doesn't move his hand away from Kurt's, but there's nothing romantic about it- it's more like they're holding on to each other, simply for something to cling to.

'Thank you.' Sebastian says. 'It means a lot.' He laughs. 'More than I thought it would, to be honest.'

Kurt almost laughs too, but he doesn't have it in him to laugh and be okay yet, so he just smiles, because right now, that's the best he can do.

'It's your turn.' Sebastian tells him. 'What happened? I thought you two were disgustingly in love.'

'So did I.' Kurt admits. 'I guess we were both wrong.' He shrugs, and looks away. He's not sure he can look someone in the eyes while he tells this story. 'I sort of zoned out after "I'm breaking up with you, Kurt" but he said something like…' Kurt pauses, and takes a deep breath because he feels like he's choking on the words. 'he said that because I'm hopefully going away to NYADA, that we shouldn't have total separation then, that we should go from boyfriends to friends, like… like stepping stones or something.'

'Well, shit.' Sebastian says his voice full of sympathy, which Kurt somehow wasn't expecting. 'I mean… that's not even a good reason for a start.'

Kurt nods, because he's not really sure what to do now.

'Blaine's hot, he's got a nice ass and a great set of pipes on him, but seriously Kurt- if he's gonna act like that, even if he thinks this is in both of your best interests, you shouldn't bother.' Sebastian shakes his head, and Kurt is surprised to hear the indignant tone in Sebastian's voice.

'I wish it were that easy.' Kurt sighs, and retracts his hand, running it through his fringe. 'I mean… I can't just get over him, you know? I need time, and I'm going to have to face him tomorrow.'

'I've never had a boyfriend to break up with.' Sebastian shrugs. 'I mean, I don't do relationships.'

'Slut.' Kurt says, but all Sebastian does is laugh.

'You're just too heartbroken to admit that I'm insanely attractive.' Sebastian tells him, with a wink, and Kurt almost laughs, but it catches in his throat, and he just ends up coughing instead.

'Easy there.' Sebastian smirks. 'Can't have you choking to death on my watch.' He pauses a moment, and then continues in his earlier vein. 'I've never had a break up, because relationships in general seem like they suck. Normally I'd tell you to get laid, or something. But it's you, so you wouldn't anyway, and I kinda doubt that you'd feel better after the post-orgasm haze cleared-'

'Sebastian!' Kurt gasps. 'That's… we're in public, can you maybe not be inappropriate?'

'You love it really.' Sebastian smiles, and Kurt just shakes his head in amused frustration.

Sebastian insists on paying for Kurt's meal, because "I'm the rich one here" and Kurt tells him that he hates him, but he says it with a smile, and they both know that it's no longer true. When Sebastian drops Kurt home, he hugs him goodbye and Burt's first question is to ask if there is anything going on with Kurt and Sebastian. Kurt shakes his head, and tells his dad that they're just being one another's emotional crutches, to which Burt Hummel raises an eyebrow, but says nothing.

Much later, Kurt is sitting on his bed, reading a magazine when his phone goes off, and from the generic beeping, he knows it's a text from Sebastian.

**FROM: Sebastian (9:44PM)**

**I'm getting an early night, so- goodnight, Kurt.**

**And, for the record, Blaine's an idiot for dumping you. You can do better.**

Even though the words are generic, it is the first time that it has been said to Kurt, and before he can do anything, he is crying. He buries his face into his pillow, and sobs so hard that his chest aches and his throat hurts. He isn't sure how long he's there, but when he finally stops, Kurt thinks that maybe, he feels a little better.

Kurt falls asleep almost immediately after he finishes his moisturising routine. He is going to need all the sleep he can get, because tomorrow he has to go to school and face Blaine. Kurt isn't sure if he can, but he will try anyway, because he is Kurt Hummel, and he is strong, even when he isn't.


	3. So intertwined

The rest of Kurt' week is _almost_ uneventful. He doesn't see Sebastian on Wednesday or Thursday, because Sebastian plays lacrosse on Wednesdays, and has soccer practice on Thursdays, but Sebastian texts him both evenings.

In truth, the only hiccup over the two-day period is when Blaine sings a solo in Glee, which isn't the worst thing that could happen- but Kurt knows that the song is aimed at him.

' _Weep for yourself, my man,_

_You'll never be what is in your heart_

_Weep Little Lion Man,_

_You're not as brave as you were at the start_

_Rate yourself and rake yourself,_

_Take all the courage you have left_

_Wasted on fixing all the problems_

_That you made in your own head_ …' Blaine had sung, while Kurt looked resolutely at the floor, trying not to think about how his ex-boyfriend was trying to tell him something, and Kurt _knows_ Blaine- or at least, he thinks he does- and this seems like the sort of thing Blaine would do to get a message across to him.

' _But it was not your fault but mine_

_And it was your heart on the line_

_I really messed it up this time_

_Didn't I, my dear?_ '

Kurt still hasn't worked out what Blaine was trying to tell him, despite being up half of Thursday night trying to fathom it out. He had refused to think about it on Wednesday- making his stance on the matter incredibly clear by walking out of the choir room, just as the final notes of the last " _Didn't I, my dear?_ " had faded away.

But now it is Friday morning, and Kurt is freaking out. He has invited Sebastian into McKinley, and he is terrified that Sebastian might not make it out alive. Kurt is halfway through his morning skincare regime, when his phone rings, and from the ringtone ( _For the First Time_ ) Kurt can tell that it's Sebastian.

'Hello?' Kurt answers.

'Morning, princess.' Sebastian replies, and Kurt can hear the smile in his voice. 'I was wondering what time you needed me at the dreaded public school of doom.'

'Just head over at the end of the day. We're going to be in the auditorium- you remember where that is, right?'

'Of course.' Sebastian pauses for a moment. 'Will I need a bodyguard?'

'Um, I hope not- but I can't make promises.' Kurt pulls a face, before remembering that Sebastian can't see him.

'Marvellous.' Sebastian sighs, and it sends a little burst of static to Kurt's ear. 'I'll wear a stab vest or something.'

'It could be a good idea.' This time, it is Kurt who pauses. 'Now, can I moisturize, or do you still need me?'

'Kurt, sweetheart, if you want cream all over that pretty little gay face of yours, all you have to do is ask, and we can sort something out later.' Sebastian chuckles, and Kurt is caught between exasperation and amusement.

'You're vulgar, and I'm hanging up on you.' Kurt says, before ending the call.

Kurt is a nervous wreck all day, and he knows that he should pull himself together because he's freaking Mercedes out. The worst moment is when he takes his seat in the auditorium, and Mr Schue asks who would like to go first, looking directly at Kurt, and Kurt says that he'll have to be last, because his duet partner isn't actually there yet. Everybody looks confused, apart from Mercedes- who has a look of shocked realization on her face- and Kurt can tell that she has worked out who he'll be singing with, although he isn't really sure how she knows. He can't explain how grateful he is when she carefully relaxes her features into a wide smile, and doesn't call him out on it.

One by one, the other members of the Glee club perform- Kurt isn't really paying attention to the performances, because his hands are sweating madly, but he does register that Blaine and Sam do a brilliant duet of _You've Got a Friend in Me_ , and that Rachel and Quinn's rendition of _Good Life_ is absolutely phenomenal.

And then everything goes to shit, because Sebastian arrives.

'Afternoon, princess.' He calls from the doorway, striding over to Kurt before anyone else has time to react. 'Did you miss me?'

'Subtlety, chipmunk- subtlety.' Kurt chides, and he's trying very hard not to smile. 'I wasn't sure if you'd come.' He adds, much quieter.

'I'm early.' Sebastian smirks. 'What makes you think I wasn't coming?'

Kurt laughs, although he isn't really sure why.

'What are you doing here?' Rachel demands, glaring fiercely at Sebastian.

'Relax, Little Streisand.' Sebastian tells her easily. 'I'm Kurt's duet partner.'

There are a chorus of protests and exclamations of surprise from the other members of New Directions, and Kurt swears he hears Puck mutter "Is that an innuendo?" and he has to stifle a laugh.

'Look.' Sebastian sighs. 'I figure it'll make things easier if I get this out of the way now, so; Blaine, I'm sorry about your eye. Although, less sorry than I was since you were an ass to Kurt. Santana, I'm sorry for slushying you after our duel. Finn, Rachel, I'm sorry for the blackmail attempt. Happy?'

One by one, the members of the Glee club murmur their assent- all of them apart from Kurt, who doesn't need to, and Blaine, who looks thunderstruck.

Sebastian and Kurt take the stage, standing a few feet apart and facing one another. Neither of them moves as the introduction plays.

' _Broken pieces break into me_

 _So imperfectly what you should be._ _'_ Kurt sings, taking two steps towards Sebastian, never breaking eye contact.

' _I don't want you to go_

 _Don't wanna see you back out in the cold._ ' Sebastian moves forwards too, and Kurt is suddenly conscious of how much closer they are, and he doesn't know why, because they're still far enough away that their fingertips would barely brush if they reached out.

' _Air you're breathing out fades you to grey_

 _Don't run away,_ _'_ Kurt takes another, smaller step, this time in perfect sync with Sebastian.

' _Find me_ …' their voices meld together perfectly.

' _I know the battles of chasing the shadows of who you wanna be,_ ' Kurt can hear the emotion in Sebastian's voice, and this time, he is listening for it.

' _It doesn't matter, go on and shatter_

 _I'm all you need_ _,_ ' they sing together again, and a smile begins to tug at Kurt's lips.

' _Broken pieces, break into me._ ' Kurt is struggling to remember that other people can see them, as he and Sebastian move closer again.

' _So imperfectly what you should be,_ ' Sebastian starts them moving in a perfect circle, their eyes still locked.

' _Lay here, its safe here; I'll let you be broken open_

 _Hide here, confide here so we can be broken open_ _,_ ' Kurt can't hear anything but blood pounding through his veins and their voices harmonizing with the music.

' _Let's enlighten the night_

 _We can fall away, slip out of sight,'_ now that it's just his voice and the music, it almost feels wrong.

' _When you drop your guard_

 _Melt into time, so intertwined,'_ Sebastian is smiling, and when Kurt lifts his voice to sing ' _Quiet_ _'_ along with him, it isn't how they rehearsed it.

' _I know the battles of chasing the shadows of who you wanna be,'_ another step forwards, and they're almost close enough to reach out and touch one another.

' _It doesn't matter, go on and shatter_

 _I'm all you need…_ ' and now they _are_ close enough to touch, although neither of them move to.

' _Broken pieces, break into me,_ ' Sebastian sings, as they stop their circling.

' _So imperfectly what you should be,_ ' Kurt knows that emotion is colouring his own voice- and he's struggling to care because the others are there watching him.

' _Lay here, its safe here; I'll let you be broken open_

 _Hide here, confide here so we can be broken open_ ' Sebastian's voice joins his, and they both sing, ' _Broken pieces, break into me_

 _So imperfectly what you should be_ ' even though they were _supposed_ to alternate lines.

' _Lay here, it's safe here, I'll let you be broken open,_ _'_ Kurt sings, and Sebastian seems to have remembered that his line is the next one.

' _Hide here, confide here so we can be broken open_ ' Sebastian extends his hand to Kurt, who, without thinking, takes it, and they turn, fingers entwined to face the auditorium to sing the last two lines together.

' _Lay here, its safe here; I'll let you be broken open_

 _Hide here, confide here so we can be broken open_ _._ '

It is the first time that they have broken eye contact throughout the entire performance, and, it isn't until the music fades away that Kurt realises that his friends saw the whole thing.

They all look completely shocked.

Kurt feels Sebastian squeeze his hand gently, and they look at one another. Kurt blushes, and lets go, and Sebastian laughs softly.

'Relax, princess.' He tells him- and Kurt does.

Rachel recovers from her shock first, and before Kurt can speak she is clearing her throat.

'May I just say that that was an excellent performance,' she begins. 'And, although I disapprove of your choice of partner, Kurt, I think that your voices work excellently together.'

'Yeah,' Mr Schue is nodding. 'That was fantastic Kurt, Sebastian.'

The others all agree, one by one, and then, led by Mercedes, who is giving Kurt her best " _we need to talk_ " look, they applaud enthusiastically as the pair dismounts the stage.

Despite the clapping, Kurt can tell that they are all wondering what they just witnessed, and as Mr Schuester congratulates him and Sebastian over and over, Kurt is looking for Blaine- who is staring right at Sebastian. Kurt watches the pair out of the corner of his eyes for a minute or two, until Sebastian makes eye contact with Blaine, who simply nods once before leaving the auditorium.

The nod, and whatever significance it might hold, bothers Kurt for days.

* * *

Kurt and Mercedes don't have their talk until Monday, because he spends all of Saturday with Sebastian- or, more accurately, watching Sebastian play soccer. Kurt doesn't really understand the rules, but the Dalton team wins, and Sebastian, who is the goalkeeper, doesn't let a single goal in, so Kurt buys him lunch to celebrate.

Kurt and Mercedes are at the mall, looking at prom dresses, because they only have three weeks until prom, and Mercedes still doesn't have a dress, or a date, when she finally broaches the topic of Sebastian Smythe.

'Kurt, honey…' Mercedes hooks her arm through his and begins to steer him out of the store. 'We need to talk.'

'We do?' Kurt smiles, feigning innocence.

'Come on, Kurt. I saw that duet you did with Sebastian- hell, the whole Glee club saw it. Is there something going on there?'

'Mercedes, I've been single for just over a week.' Kurt sighs. 'I don't have feelings for Sebastian- not like that.'

'Are you sure?' Mercedes asks. 'Because the way you two sang really made it look like there was something going on there.'

'We're just friends.' Kurt shakes his head. 'I mean, sure, I think he's kinda hot.' He blushes a little at the admission. 'And so he flirts a little, but he does that with everyone. We're not… I don't like him that way.'

'Okay.' Mercedes shrugs. 'If you say so. But everyone thought you two hated each other, and then next thing we know, you're singing like that.'

'I hated him for what he did to Blaine.' Kurt begins. 'But, he really _is_ sorry for that, and everything else. But he's more than that, he's been helping me move on from Blaine, and we're close- good friends, but that's it. He's more than the asshole image he projects.'

'How do you know that?' Mercedes asks, with a mixture of confusion and curiosity.

'Last Saturday, after Blaine broke up with me,' it is less painful to talk about it now- although it does still hurt. 'I went to the Lima Bean, and I bumped into Sebastian.' Kurt pauses, wondering how much he can reveal without their being a betrayal of trust involved. 'He'd been crying.' Kurt says eventually. 'And he could tell I was upset. His mom is sick, and he needed someone to talk to, so I gave him my number so we could talk if he needed some emotional support.'

'And, then what? Because that doesn't explain how he ended up as your duet partner, Kurt.' Mercedes prompts as Kurt falls silent.

'On Sunday, we talked. He drove me to Westerville and then bought me lunch. He comforted me and I told him everything was going to be okay with his mom. Then when Mr Schue told us to find partners, I asked him. He cooked me dinner at his place and we sorted out the song for the duet- it's a fantastic house, by the way- but he's trying to get me to do things that I did with Blaine with my friends instead. He thinks it'll help me get over him. It works, and it distracts him from worrying about his mom, so it's a win-win for both of us.' Kurt sighs. He knows that parts of the story sound like the sort of things people do when they like each other, but that's just how Sebastian acts.

'Okay.' Mercedes says again. 'Now, come on, we've been here for hours, and I haven't found anything I like yet. I need food, and then we'll go home.'

Kurt nods in agreement, and they head off in the direction of the food court.

That night they have the girly sleepover Mercedes had promised him in History class the week before. They go to Mercedes' house, and invite Rachel to join them for unhealthy amounts of junk food, ice cream, and Disney movies. The three of them mostly ignore the films, and just spend their time verbally abusing an imaginary Blaine, because it makes Kurt feel just a little bit better. By midnight, Kurt is curled up under a blanket talking about Blaine, the things he misses, the things he doesn't, and the girls just listen, and then hug him when he starts to cry.

When Kurt is done crying his throat hurts, his nose is running, and his eyes are red, but he feels like he could take on the world if he wanted to. But he's too tired to take on the world right now, so he ignores the pain in his throat, and sings along to the songs from _Lion King_ at a ridiculously loud volume. He knows that there's a chance he'll have lost his voice by the morning, but he can't bring himself to care very much, because for the first time in just over a week, Kurt Hummel feels like himself again.

* * *

**The song Blaine sings to Kurt is _Little Lion Man,_ which is by Mumford and Sons. **

**Kurt and Sebastian sing Adam Lambert's song _Broken Open,_ which is also the song that this fic gets it's names and chapter headings from.**

**The songs mentioned- Sam and Blaine's duet is the song in Toy Story, and Quinn and Rachel's is by OneRepublic.**


	4. Lay here, it's safe here

Kurt and the girls don't wake up until gone noon, and only then because Kurt rolls off the sofa onto Rachel, who squeals, which wakes up Mercedes. After the hasty clean-up operation, which involves the disposal of several empty tubs of ice-cream, the three hug one-another goodbye and head their separate ways.

Later that evening, Kurt gets a text from Sebastian.

**FROM: Sebastian (6:00PM)**

**My mother's going in for surgery at about 3am our time. Can I call?**

_**TO: Sebastian (6:01PM)** _

_**I can ask my dad if you can stay over or something, if you want?** _

**FROM: Sebastian (6:03PM)**

**I have to stay with my brother- so that when dad calls neither of us is alone. But you could stay the night if you want.**

_**TO: Sebastian (6:04PM)** _

_**I'll ask my dad :)** _

Burt Hummel is in the lounge, watching the news when Kurt goes downstairs.

'Hey, dad, can I ask you something?' Kurt asks, a little nervously.

'Sure thing, kiddo.' Burt says, muting the TV volume.

'I have this friend called Sebastian,' Kurt begins, and Burt sits up a little straighter. 'His- his mom is ill. She's going in for surgery tonight, and there's a good chance she might not be coming out. He asked if I could stay with him overnight.'

'Okay.' Burt nods, because they both know the pain of losing a family member, and they know how horrible the endless waiting is, and Kurt thinks that Burt would probably never forgive himself if he didn't let Kurt go. 'But I don't want you two to share a bed or anything like that, okay?'

'Thanks, dad.'

_**TO: Sebastian (6:14PM)** _

_**My dad said its fine** _

**FROM: Sebastian (6:16PM)**

**Pack a bag. I'll be over in about 20 minutes to pick you up.**

Sebastian takes fifteen minutes to get to Kurt's, which means that Kurt has to leave Sebastian downstairs with Burt, which is possibly the best incentive to pack quickly that he's ever had. He has the surprise of his life when he comes downstairs to see Burt hugging Sebastian, albeit a little awkwardly, and when the two break apart, they both look like they're going to cry.

'Kurt, can I have a word before you go?' Burt asks.

'I'll wait in the car.' Sebastian pats Kurt on the shoulder as they pass, and they share a quick smile.

'I have one question,' Burt begins. 'And I would really appreciate an honest answer.'

Kurt doesn't say anything, because he's busy fighting down the nervous butterflies plaguing his stomach.

'Are you dating Sebastian?'

'No, dad. We're just friends- he's helping me with Blaine, I'm helping him with his mom.' Kurt sighs, because he knows the defence sounds weak.

'Okay.' Burt nods. 'Now, go on. You can't keep him waiting.'

'Bye, dad.' Kurt says, giving his father a quick hug before turning to leave.

'Kurt- _why_ aren't you dating him?' Burt asks, just as Kurt's hand comes to rest on the door handle.

Kurt feels like he's been punched in the stomach, because he's just realised that he doesn't have an answer for that.

'We're just friends.' He says, and he knows that it's not enough, not really.

Sebastian is waiting by the car, half leaning, and half sitting on the hood.

'Come on then, princess.' Sebastian smiles and Kurt can see the strain in it. 'Time to go.'

Kurt puts his bag in the trunk, before climbing into the passenger seat, where the mystery of Sebastian's fast arrival is explained by an empty Lima Bean coffee cup.

'How're you holding up?' Kurt asks quietly.

'I'm shitting myself.' Sebastian says bluntly. 'I tried to convince my parents to let me go to France, but mom said no. So now all I can do is wait and it fucking _sucks_.'

Kurt doesn't say that everything will be okay, because there's a 50/50 chance it won't be, and he knows it.

Sebastian turns on the radio before Kurt can think of something to say, and they sit in comfortable silence together, until the radio starts playing songs they know and they sing along together, pretending that everything is going to be okay.

At the end of one song, Sebastian stops singing, but Kurt carries on.

' _Beauty queen of only eighteen_

_She had some trouble with herself_

_He was always there to help her_

_She always belonged to someone else_ ,' Kurt sings- and he doesn't sound exactly like the original singer, but its pretty close.

' _I don't mind spending everyday_

_Out on your corner in the pouring rain_

_Look for the girl with the broken smile_

_Ask her if she wants to stay awhile_

_And she will be loved_

_She will be loved_ ,' Kurt is looking at Sebastian, who turns to meet his eyes for just a second, before looking away, smiling.

' _It's not always rainbows and butterflies_

_It's compromise that moves us along, yeah_

_My heart is full and my door's always open_

_You can come anytime you want_ ,

_I don't mind spending everyday_

_Out on your corner in the pouring rain_

_Look for the girl with the broken smile_

_Ask her if she wants to stay awhile_

_And she will be loved_

_And she will be loved_

_And she will be loved_

_And she will be loved,'_ Kurt closes his eyes, and keeps singing. He has always wanted to sing this song, but there was never anyone he could sing it to, and he isn't one to just sing in Glee club for the sake of it. He supposes that Blaine would have appreciated the gesture, but there was never really a good time to sing it, and Kurt thinks that maybe, Sebastian needs to hear it more.

When Kurt stops singing, and the song comes to an end, Sebastian is staring at him like he's never seen him before, and Kurt stares right back into those eyes that somehow go from hazel to blue without so much as hinting at green, and finds it very hard to breathe.

The Smythe residence will never fail to impress Kurt. The house, which is more suited to Beverly Hills than to Westerville, Ohio, is the sort of building that ought to look ugly, or just plain ridiculous, but somehow doesn't.

Charlie Smythe, Sebastian's older brother, is waiting for them in the hall, and he greets Kurt like an old friend, although they've never actually spoken before beyond a quick introduction on the night Sebastian had made Kurt dinner.

'Hey, Kurt.' Charlie pulls him into a friendly, one-armed hug. 'Thanks for coming over.'

'Anything I can do to help.' Kurt smiles a little sadly, and shrugs.

'Do you mind ordering takeout for dinner?' Sebastian asks, as they make their way to the living room.

'I'll find the menus.' Charlie nods.

Kurt has never been in the living room before, and it isn't what he expects. The Smythe kitchen is very clean, and smells a bit like disinfectant- it is cold and impersonal. The living room is very different. A whole wall is taken up with dozens of photographs of the various members of the Smythe family, each one in its own frame, but all different sizes, and they are all centred around one life-size photograph of a woman, right in the middle. Kurt doesn't have to ask to know that its Sebastian's mother, because even in the photograph he can see that they carry themselves the same way, and she's got the same smile as Sebastian- that one that says both, _I know something you don't_ , and _I'm better than you, and I know it_.

'Beautiful, isn't she?' Sebastian asks.

Kurt just nods, because he can't tear his eyes away from the black and white image.

'I see you've met our mother, Juliette Smythe-Beauclerc.' Charlie says, from somewhere behind Kurt. 'That picture was taken the year our parents met, which is a while ago now.'

'It was in Paris.' Sebastian adds, as Kurt turns around to face them. 'Dad was in his early twenties, and so was she. She was a budding actress, and a singer. They met when she was performing in some fancy restaurant.'

'It was love at first sight.' Charlie chuckles. 'They were married within three months. This picture was taken after the honeymoon. Mom found out she was pregnant with me, and within a year there was little baby Charlie.'

'They held out on having another kid for nine years.' Sebastian shrugs. 'Mom was thirty two when I was born. Both of us very nearly died during the pregnancy.'

'I remember dad telling me that I might lose my new brother.' Charlie grimaces. 'That was horrible.'

'But you're both here.' Kurt says. 'And your parents don't live together.'

'No, they don't.' Sebastian sighs. 'They separated when I was five, and Charlie was fifteen. They're still close- they call all the time, and talk a lot, but it got to the point where, even though they love each other, they were more like friends that husband and wife.'

'So dad moved out here to Ohio, and Seb has hopped between private schools in both countries ever since. I stayed at Dalton.' Charlie sighs. 'I go back a lot, and we always celebrate Christmas as a family. I lived with mom for two years after Caroline.' Caroline, Kurt assumes, is the girl who left Charlie at the altar.

'It's not so bad.' Sebastian finishes. 'I miss her, though.'

'What does she look like now?' Kurt asks, gesturing at the picture.

'Not much different.' Charlie laughs. 'She doesn't look a day over thirty five.'

'I can only hope I age that well.' Kurt smiles, and the Smythe brothers laugh.

'Seb has her eyes.' Charlie tells him, as though it's some sort of big secret. 'And her musical talent.'

'Charlie is completely tone-deaf.' Sebastian says dryly, with a roll of his eyes.

'Completely.' Charlie agrees, smiling broadly. 'Now, what takeout do you want?'

'Chinese.' Sebastian says, and Kurt nods his agreement, because he quite likes the idea of some mu shu pork right now.

The three of them eat together, and then Charlie retires to his room, saying that he needs some alone time right now.

'I'll take the plates to the kitchen.' Kurt tells Sebastian, who opens his mouth to protest, but then just nods. 'Put on a movie or something.' Kurt calls over his shoulder as he leaves the room.

When he gets back, Sebastian is just flopping down onto the couch, and turning up the TV volume.

'What're we watching?' Kurt asks.

'One of my all-time favourite movies.' Sebastian says, magnanimously.

'Which is?'

'It's got Helena Bonham Carter and Alan Rickman in. that's all you need to know.'

Kurt's immediate thought is Harry Potter, and so, when the words _Sweeny Todd_ appear on the screen, he is a little surprised.

'I didn't know you liked musicals.' Kurt raises an eyebrow at Sebastian.

'I'm full of surprises.' Sebastian winks, and Kurt is a little relieved to hear Sebastian's usual trace of flirtatiousness creep back into his voice. 'Also people die a lot in this film, so that negates the musical qualities, okay?'

'Your lack of security in your masculinity will always amuse me.' Kurt chuckles, and Sebastian glares at him.

'Shut up, princess.' Kurt just laughs, and settles down on the couch next to Sebastian.

Several hours later, the pair is completely ignoring what Kurt thinks must be their fifth film of the evening, and just talking quietly about anything and everything.

'When I graduate from Dalton I'm going to New York.' Sebastian tells Kurt. 'I've got the choice between New York and Paris, but dad, and Charlie, both majored in Law at NYU so I'm kind of expected go there. We've still got an apartment there as well, and that's certainly better than living with my mom.' Sebastian chuckles a little, and then pauses. Kurt knows that he's thinking about how he might never get the chance to live in Paris with his mom.

'I'm sure she won't mind you being in New York.' Kurt says, giving Sebastian's hand a reassuring squeeze. 'And it's nice to know that I'll know somebody else there, other than Finn and Rachel.'

'You're going to NYADA, right?' Sebastian asks, returning the slight pressure on Kurt's fingers.

'Fingers crossed.' Kurt laughs lightly. 'I'm aiming for the bright lights of Broadway.'

'I expect front-row tickets to your first show.' Sebastian smiles.

'Naturally.' Kurt laughs again, and Sebastian joins him. For a moment, they almost forget why they're there, but that's when Sebastian's phone goes off.

'Hello, dad?' Sebastian answers it before it has even completed a ring.

' _Calm down, Seb. I'm just calling to say that she's just gone in.'_ Kurt can make out the voice of Sebastian's father on the other end of the line.

'Okay.' Sebastian breathes out a sigh of relief, even though this is far from over yet. 'Okay, call me right away if there's any news.'

' _You have to get some sleep, Sebastian.'_ Mr Smythe says.

'I'll be fine, dad.' Sebastian says shortly. 'Please, just _please_ promise you'll call the second anything happens.'

' _I promise.'_ Sebastian's dad says, after a lengthy pause.

'Thanks, dad.'

' _Goodbye, Sebastian.'_

'Bye, dad.' Sebastian replies, and hangs up.

Neither of them speak as Sebastian pulls Kurt closer to him, and they link hands once more, so that they are squashed up together on the sofa, Sebastian's arm around Kurt's waist, and their clasped hands resting on Sebastian's chest as the slightly taller boy rests his head on Kurt's shoulder and tries to take calming breaths.

Much, much later, Kurt is lying with his head on a cushion in Sebastian's lap, in that state between sleep and consciousness that makes everything feel like a dream. Sebastian is listening to his iPod, because despite Kurt's insistence, he refuses to sleep.

Just when Kurt thinks he is asleep, Sebastian begins to sing.

' _Oh Florida, please be still tonight_

_Don't disturb this love of mine_

_Look how she's so serene_

_You've gotta help me out,_

_And count the stars to form in lines_

_And find the words we'll sing in time_

_I want to keep her dreaming_

_It's my one wish, I won't forget this_

_I'm outdated, overrated_

_Morning seems so far away_ ,

_So I'll sing a melody_

_And hope to god she's listening_

_Sleeping softly while I sing_

_And I'll be your memories_

_Your lullaby for all the times_

_Hoping that my voice could get it right,_ ' it is the first time Kurt has heard Sebastian sing without any kind of background music, and he's almost shocked by how different he sounds.

' _If luck is on my side tonight_

_My clumsy tongue will make it right_

_And wrists that touch_

_It isn't much, but it's enough_

_To form imaginary lines_

_Forget your scars, we'll forget mine_

_The hours change so fast_

_Oh God, please make this last_

_'Cause I'm outdated, overrated_

_Morning seems so far way_

_So I'll sing a melody_

_And hope to God she's listening_

_Sleeping softly while I sing_

_And I'll be your memories_

_Your lullaby for all the times_

_Hoping that my voice could get it right_

_Could get it right_ ,' Kurt doesn't recognise the song, but it sounds like the sort of thing that he sometimes hears Finn playing in his room. He wonders if maybe he's dreaming this.

' _You could crush me_

_Please don't crush me_

_'Cause baby I'm a dreamer for sure_

_And I won't let you down_

_I swear this time I mean it_

_And I'll sing a melody_

_And hope to God she's listening_

_Sleeping softly while I sing_

_And I'll be your memories_

_Your lullaby for all the times_

_Hoping that my voice could get it right…'_ Kurt's opens his eyes just a fraction as Sebastian stops singing. The Warbler's eyes are closed, but he's smiling slightly, and Kurt is surprised to hear him whisper, so quietly Kurt almost thinks he's imagining it.

'Goodnight, Kurt.' Sebastian murmurs.

For a few short seconds, Kurt is almost able to believe that he's dreaming, but then Sebastian shifts a little under him, and he knows that he's very much awake.

Kurt's last, coherent thought before he falls asleep is that if he isn't very, very careful, he's going to fall for Sebastian Smythe.

* * *

**Songs used**

**_She will be Loved_ by Maroon 5**

**_I Swear This Time I Mean it_ by Mayday Parade**

* * *

Also, if anybody is interested, I'm a part of an RP on tumblr where I answer questions as Kurt Hummel. I'm doing it with someone who is RP-ing Sebastian, so check that out if you feel like it.

ask-sebastiansmythe(dot)tumblr(dot)com

ask-kurt-elizabeth-hummel(dot)tumblr(dot)com


	5. Imperfectly what you should be

Kurt gets just a little more than two and a half hours sleep, until he's woken by Sebastian's phone going off.

'Is she okay?' Sebastian demands, the moment the phone is at his ear.

' _Everything's fine, Sebastian._ ' When Kurt hears the words, he relaxes a little.

'Where is she, is she awake?' Sebastian still sounds frantic.

' _Relax, Sebastian. Yes, she's awake. She took a while to come round, but they've done some tests and everything looks fine. She's resting now and she's not allowed on the phone, but she says to tell you that she loves you and to stop worrying.'_

'Thank fuck.' Sebastian breathes.

' _Language, Sebastian.'_ His father warns, in a voice that, to Kurt, sounds like it belongs to a man who has long since given up on controlling his youngest son.

'Sorry, dad.' Sebastian sighs dutifully.

' _Mhm, sure.'_ Kurt can hear the smile in the man's voice. _'I'll call you tonight, yeah?'_

'Bye, dad.' Sebastian replies, and then after a few moments, he puts the phone away.

For a moment, neither of them moves, and then Sebastian collapses onto the floor, as if all the energy has been drained out of him. Kurt sinks to his knees next to him, and puts a comforting arm around his shoulders while Sebastian shakes with what Kurt realises is the effort of holding back tears.

'Its okay, Sebastian.' Kurt murmurs. 'You can cry if you want.'

And Sebastian does cry, and Kurt can't tell whether he's relived or exhausted, so he just holds Sebastian close, and ignores the fact that the other boy's tears are probably staining his silk pyjamas. Charlie arrives after a few minutes, and, after a few seconds contemplation of the scene before him, he kneels next to his brother.

'Do you want a shower, Kurt?' Charlie mutters, and Kurt knows that it's a request for some alone time.

'Yes, please.' Kurt smiles.

'Straight upstairs, first door on the right.' Charlie tells him.

.

Kurt takes a long shower, before moisturizing and doing his best with his hair. When he returns downstairs, fully dressed and feeling refreshed, Sebastian isn't in the lounge. Charlie is, though, and he waves Kurt over to sit with him.

'Seb's gone to shower.' Charlie tells him. 'Which means you're stuck with me until he comes back.'

'There are worse people to be stuck with.' Kurt observes.

'I'm going to go ahead and take that as a compliment.' Charlie chuckles. 'Now, I just wanted to say thank you for looking after Sebastian.'

'I don't think Sebastian needs me to look after him.' Kurt smiles softly. 'He looks after me.'

'Kurt,' Charlie sighs. 'I need you to listen to me very, very carefully. Sebastian never, ever lets people look after him, not even me, or mum, or dad. He's the sort of person who keeps all his friends at arm's length, _just in case_. And now he's brought you home _twice_ , Kurt. I don't know what's going on, because I'm pretty sure you're not fucking since when I implied it to him the other day he didn't take it so well. I've never seen him like this with anybody. You make him happy, Kurt. So yes, you _do_ look after him.'

'You make it sound like we're dating.' Kurt attempts a joke, because he really doesn't know what to say.

'Why aren't you?' Charlie asks, with a raised eyebrow. It feels like he has been asked that a lot recently.

'Sebastian doesn't date.' Kurt says eventually. 'And we're not… he doesn't… we're just friends. Neither of us is interested in the other that way.'

'Keep telling yourself that.' Charlie mutters. 'Keep telling yourself that.'

Kurt is about to ask what Charlie means, but that's when Sebastian arrives back downstairs, dressed in skinny black jeans and a white t-shirt that looks like it's been painted on because it's clinging to his wet torso. Kurt tries to ignore that it's going see-through, but really all he does is jump from the frying pan into the fire, because he's just noticed the water droplets rolling down Sebastian's neck from his dripping hair, and he can't tear his eyes away.

'You do know that you're supposed to use a towel to dry yourself off before you get dressed, right?' Charlie rolls his eyes at his brother.

Sebastian winks. 'That rule only applies to the unattractive, big brother.'

'So, what's your excuse?' Charlie laughs.

'I'm _smoking_.' Sebastian says bluntly. 'Right Kurt?'

'Fishing for compliments, Sebastian?' Kurt asks, wrenching his gaze away from the outlines of muscle visible through Sebastian's shirt.

'Like I need to.' Sebastian laughs. 'We all know I'm sex on a stick.'

'And a total whore.' Charlie adds cheerily. 'Love you, little brother.'

'You're an ass.' Sebastian tells his brother, but he's laughing.

'Smythes! Stop being immature.' Kurt scolds them, biting back a laugh of his own.

'Relax, princess. We're brothers; we're supposed to tease one another.' Sebastian grins.

'It's true.' Charlie nods gravely. 'Now, I'm pretty sure it's time for breakfast.'

.

After Kurt makes them all French toast and pancakes, which he eats too despite all the calories, Sebastian offers to drive him home. The car journey is mostly silent, because they're both exhausted, and because Kurt is trying to force the images of Sebastian in his see-through shirt out of his mind. Sometimes the silence is broken by one of them humming a tune, and when Kurt recognises Sebastian humming the song that he sang to him the night before, his heart beats just a little faster, and he has to fight back a bush.

When Kurt is halfway home, he gets a text from Mercedes.

_FROM: Mercedes (10:24AM)_

_Hey, Kurt. I was wondering if you were up for dress shopping round two this afternoon? Let me know xx_

'Who's that?' Sebastian asks, 'your dad wanting you home?'

'No,' Kurt smiles and shakes his head. 'It's Mercedes; she wants my help prom dress shopping.'

'You're such a stereotype, princess.' Sebastian teases.

'Shut up.' Kurt tells him. 'I'm fabulous and you know it. Besides, she _needs_ my help. It's a pity that I'm not going to be at prom to see her in it though.'

'Why won't you be there?' Sebastian asks, shooting Kurt a surprised look.

'Nobody to go with.' Kurt shrugs. 'Also last year I was voted Prom Queen for a joke.'

If Kurt expects Sebastian to laugh at that, he is surprised, because Sebastian just looks angry. 'Assholes.' He says, finally. 'That's out of order.'

'I know.' Kurt pauses for a second, and then continues. 'Karofsky was prom king, but he freaked out and I ended up dancing with… with Blaine instead.'

'Go with me.' Sebastian says, after a few moments. 'To your prom. Remaking memories, right? So we'll go as friends, or… or whatever.'

'I… okay.' Kurt nods before he can chicken out. 'Okay. But you have to wear a suit.'

'I'll buy you flowers, if you like.' Sebastian grins, and Kurt can't tell if he's joking or not, so he just smiles, and texts Mercedes to tell her that he'll pick her up at two.

If Kurt thinks for a moment that the strange occurrences of the day are over, he is very, very wrong, because when he arrives home, his stepmother greets him with a question that surprises both him and Sebastian, who has come inside to talk to Burt.

'Kurt, honey, I was wondering if you wanted to keep your old Cheerio uniform?' Carole asks casually. 'Sam just found it in the closet in the spare room and he wondered what you wanted to do with it.'

Sebastian, who had accepted a cup of coffee from Burt approximately two seconds before the asking of Carole's question, chokes on his drink.

'Sam found _what?_ ' Sebastian splutters.

'My old cheerleading uniform.' Kurt sighs. 'I was a Cheerio. You can laugh at it later.' He turns to Carole. 'If you put it on my bed I'll find somewhere in my closet for it.'

Kurt turns to Sebastian, who is openly staring at him.

'Close your mouth before something decides to live in it.' Kurt snaps, because he doesn't really want to have to put up with Sebastian teasing him for weeks over this.

Sebastian takes a very composed sip of his coffee, and raises an eyebrow.

'Claws away, princess.' He smirks.

Kurt rolls his eyes as Carole laughs at their antics. 'I'll leave you two alone.' She says, slipping out of the kitchen, and dragging Burt with her, before either of them can reply.

'Go on then.' Kurt sighs. 'Get the jokes out of your system now.'

'Jokes?' Sebastian's eyebrows shoot up incredulously. 'Kurt, you were a cheerleader. That's _hot._ Damn, Hummel, you're hot.'

Kurt doesn't say anything.

'You don't believe me, do you?' Sebastian marvels. 'Kurt, you're smoking. Trust me; I know what hot looks like.'

'I'm not hot.' Kurt says simply. 'Or sexy or whatever. I'm " _adorable"_ and " _pretty_ " and that's pretty much it.'

It's Sebastian's turn to lapse into bemused silence.

'I have all the sex appeal of a baby penguin.' Kurt says shortly. 'And, as you pointed out, a "hard luck case of the gay face". So no, no I don't believe you.'

'I didn't mean any of that, Kurt!' Sebastian puts is head in his hands. 'Christ, Kurt. If I knew you thought I meant that I'd never have said it. There is _nothing_ wrong with your face, Kurt. Or the rest of you for that matter, and if there was something wrong with your face, trust me, the rest of you would more than make up for it.'

'I…' Kurt doesn't know what to say.

'Come here.' Sebastian tells him, pulling Kurt into a tight hug. 'You're stunning, Kurt. And I'm perfectly willing to keep telling you that until you believe it.'

'Sorry.' Kurt mumbles into Sebastian's neck.

'Hey, don't apologise.' Sebastian says evenly. 'It's not your fault. Everyone's allowed to be insecure sometimes. You can't help that people don't tell you that you're hot all the time.'

'I was being a bitch though.' Kurt sighs.

'It's cool.' Sebastian chuckles. 'Everyone has their moments.' He lets go of Kurt, who takes a step back, and smiles.

'Text me when you get home?' Kurt asks.

'Of course.' Sebastian laughs lightly. 'Can't have you worrying about me.'

'I never said I'd worry.' Kurt grins.

'Yeah, but you would.' Sebastian winks.

'Probably.' Kurt acknowledges quietly.

When Sebastian has gone, Kurt realises that he's not being anywhere near careful enough, and later, he is out with Mercedes, and they have finally found her a dress, when he tells her that he's going to prom after all, he is surprised by how happy he feels to say that he's going with Sebastian, even if it is just as friends.

Kurt avoids meeting up with Sebastian for the rest of the holiday.

* * *

Kurt's policy of avoiding face-to-face interaction with Sebastian Smythe works just fine until Wednesday. For a week he has received a compliment every lunchtime, mostly via text, and occasionally hinting that he should show Sebastian what he looks like in the uniform, and Kurt has taken to putting his phone on the table next to him in anticipation.

The weather is unusually good on Wednesday, and so Kurt, Mercedes and the Glee club decides to chance eating lunch outside for once.

When Kurt's phone goes off, the message surprises him, because all it says is _are you outside?_

Perplexed, Kurt texts back an affirmative, and, seconds later he's rewarded with a text saying _oh, there you are_ , and he tries not to think about the time Blaine said that to him, right before their first kiss, because that memory still hurts.

' _Oh my god_!' Rachel gasps, 'Kurt, _behind you_.'

Kurt turns around to see the Dalton Academy Warblers, led by a smirking Sebastian Smythe arranged on the steps behind him. And that's when the Warblers start singing, and Kurt struggles to place the introduction.

' _You're insecure,_

_Don't know what for,_

_You're turning heads when you walk through the door,_

_Don't need make-up,_

_To cover up,_

_Being the way that you are is enough_ ,' Sebastian sings, maybe ten seconds after the rest of the Warblers, who are dutifully harmonizing in the background. Sebastian is staring straight at Kurt, who can feel himself blushing furiously.

' _Everyone else in the room can see it,_

 _Everyone else but you_ ,' Sebastian is smiling as he raises one hand to point straight at Kurt.

' _Baby you light up my world like nobody else,_

_The way that you flip your hair gets me overwhelmed,_

_But when you smile at the ground it ain't hard to tell,_

_You don't know,_

_Oh oh,_

_You don't know you're beautiful,_

_If only you saw what I can see,_

_You'll understand why I want you so desperately,_

_Right now I'm looking at you and I can't believe,_

_You don't know,_

_Oh oh,_

_You don't know you're beautiful,_

_Oh oh,_

_That's what makes you beautiful_ ,' Sebastian continues to sing as he and the Warblers break out into a perfectly choreographed dance routine, and somehow, Sebastian and Kurt don't break eye contact for more than a second at a time.

' _So c-come on,_

_You got it wrong,_

_To prove I'm right,_

_I put it in a song,_

_I don't know why,_

_You're being shy,_

_And turn away when I look into your eye eye eyes,_ ' Sebastian is less than three feet from Kurt now, and Kurt shuts his eyes. He hasn't blushed this much in his life, and he can feel his cheeks burning.

' _Everyone else in the room can see it,_

 _Everyone else but you,_ ' Sebastian is pointing to him again, Kurt can tell.

' _Baby you light up my world like nobody else,_

_The way that you flip your hair gets me overwhelmed,_

_But when you smile at the ground it ain't hard to tell,_

_You don't know,_

_Oh oh,_

_You don't know you're beautiful,_

_If only you saw what I can see,_

_You'll understand why I want you so desperately,_

_Right now I'm looking at you and I can't believe,_

_You don't know,_

_Oh oh,_

_You don't know you're beautiful,_

_Oh oh,'_ Kurt can't look away from Sebastian now, and he can't help but marvel at the way the Warblers are singing and dancing, all smiles and shameless showmanship. He remembers when they used to be quiet, reserved, and wrapped up in tradition. Sebastian is good for them, he thinks.

' _Na Na Na Na Na Na Naaa,_

_Na Na Na Na Na Na Na Na_

_Na Na Na Na Na Na Naaa,_

_Na Na Na Na Na Na Na Na…'_ Sebastian is coming closer, and he stops, right in front of Kurt, who is laughing now.

' _Baby you light up my world like nobody else,_

_The way that you flip your hair gets me overwhelmed,_

_But when you smile at the ground it ain't hard to tell,_

_You don't know,_

_Oh oh,_

_You don't know you're beautiful,'_ Kurt wonders if Sebastian could make it any more obvious that he is singing to Kurt, and then Sebastian takes his hands, pulls him up from his seat and drags him up onto the steps.

' _If only you saw what I can see,_

_You'll understand why I want you so desperately,_

_Right now I'm looking at you and I can't believe,_

_You don't know,_

_Oh oh,_

_You don't know you're beautiful,_

_Oh oh,_

_You don't know you're beautiful,_

_Oh oh,_ ' Sebastian and the Warblers are dancing around Kurt now, and all he can do is stand there flushed scarlet and laughing as, with the last line ' _That's what makes you beautiful'_ the watching students of McKinley High get to their feet clapping.

Laughing, Sebastian pulls Kurt into a tight hug, and they stay that was for what feels like several minutes, as mild pandemonium ensues around them. Eventually, Kurt pulls back slightly from the hug, and looks up at Sebastian, and all of a sudden he can't hear his friend's laughter over the pounding of the blood in his ears. Kurt's chest is tight and he can't quite breathe and all he can think is _"Oh, there you are."_

* * *

__**Song used: _What Makes You Beautiful_ by One Direction**


	6. Enlighten the night

Kurt feels like he's going to throw up. His hands are sweaty and he can't really breathe, because he's fallen for the one person he had promised himself he wouldn't ever fall for.

He wonders, briefly, why he even bothered with coming to Glee club today. He can't concentrate on anything that's being said, until he hears his name.

It's Rachel speaking. She's just finished a heartfelt solo, and she uses the opportunity of the attention to make Kurt feel even worse. She isn't doing it on purpose, Kurt knows, but it feels that way when she says, unnecessarily loudly 'I would just like to congratulate Kurt on his budding romance with Sebastian. You two look adorable together, and you make a wonderful couple.'

'We're not together.' Kurt says shortly. 'Sebastian doesn't date.'

'But, dude.' Finn looks shocked. 'He sang you that song today.'

'I don't know why he did that, Finn.' Kurt snaps. 'But it isn't because he likes me.' Kurt refuses to think about all the things Sebastian says to him, because some of them are almost enough to give him hope that Sebastian likes him back.

'Kurt, that's not what it looked like…' Mercedes says gently.

'I don't care what it looked like!' Kurt snaps. 'I don't care because he does _not_ like me, and if he did it wouldn't make a difference because he _doesn't_ do relationships.'

Kurt stands up, and walks out of the choir room because he's worried they'll realise that he hasn't once said that he doesn't like Sebastian Smythe that way.

Mercedes finds him twenty minutes later, sitting on the floor of an empty classroom and trying not to cry.

'Kurt, come on, talk to me.' Mercedes says, lowering herself down next to him. 'Tell me what's going on.'

'It's Sebastian.' Kurt tells her.

'What's he done?' Mercedes asks, putting her arm around Kurt.

'He hasn't done anything.' Kurt sighs. 'It's _me_. I'm an idiot, Mercedes.'

'Okay, what do you think you've done?'

'I…' Kurt takes several deep, calming breaths. 'I like him.'

'Oh Kurt, honey.' Mercedes sighs. 'It's okay.'

'No it's not.' Kurt grimaces. 'It's not because he's never going to like me that way, and because I've been single for two weeks. What if this is just a rebound? What if I'm just craving affection and then two weeks down the line I realise that I don't want him at all? What if I do still want him? Sebastian's never had a relationship. Why would he want to have one with me?'

'Does it feel like a rebound?' Mercedes asks. 'Do you feel like you want to be with him because he makes you forget Blaine?'

'no.' Kurt sighs. 'I don't know what it is. I'm not sure I can explain.'

'Try.' Mercedes smiles encouragingly.

'He… he makes me happy, I guess. Right after Blaine broke up with me, when I felt like crying, he made me smile. I like spending time with him, too. It's so easy. There's never any awkwardness. I like that. I like being his friend. But I want to be able to walk down the street holding his hand, too. I want him to come to Chicago for regionals, and when we've performed I want him to be able to say "that's my boyfriend". I don't know what to do, Mercedes.' Kurt bites his lip, and blinks back the tears that are threatening to fall.

Mercedes sighs. 'Tell him how you feel.' She advises. 'If it doesn't work out, I'm here for you, whatever happens and you won't know unless you try.'

'I can't.' Kurt mutters, 'I can't.' he is crying softly now.

He doesn't understand. This time two weeks ago, everything was so simple. He was still in love with Blaine Anderson, who didn't want him anymore. He was good friends with Sebastian Smythe. Now he isn't sure what he feels. He still cares about Blaine, but he knows now that even if the other boy were to beg for his forgiveness, he wouldn't take him back. He is still friends with Sebastian, but it isn't enough. He wants to be with Sebastian the way he wanted to be with Blaine.

When he tells Mercedes this, she looks at him sadly.

'Kurt, you have to tell him.' Mercedes says.

'I can't.' Kurt says again.

'Give it till Prom.' Mercedes suggests finally. 'If you still feel like this then, tell him so. At least that way, you still get prom with him, right?'

Kurt nods. 'Okay.' he says slowly. 'I can do that.'

.

Later, Kurt meets Sebastian at the Lima Bean for coffee, and when the slightly taller boy smiles at him in greeting, Kurt stumbles over his hellos.

'Interesting day?' Sebastian teases.

'You could say that.' Kurt says, with a smile. 'Some idiot and his backup singers invaded my school at lunchtime to sing to me.'

'Oh?' Sebastian raises an eyebrow, smirking. 'Tell me about this idiot?'

'He's a private school boy.' Kurt laughs. 'And he looks like a chipmunk.'

'Damn sexy chipmunk though.' Sebastian winks, and they both laugh.

'He's a good singer.' Kurt says. 'But he thoroughly embarrassed me and I'm not sure I want to take him to prom anymore.'

'Well then.' Sebastian smirks. 'He'll just have to make it up to you somehow, won't he?'

'He could start by buying me coffee.' Kurt suggests.

'Point taken.' Sebastian gives a short laugh and gets up to but the drinks.

Kurt starts to think that maybe he can do this. He can be friends with Sebastian and pretend that there's nothing else there. But when Sebastian comes back and he hands him his coffee their hands touch for just a little longer than is necessary and Kurt has to fight back a blush, he knows that this is going to be much, much harder than he thought.

* * *

Nine days later, on the Friday exactly one week before Prom, Kurt does something he would never normally do. He stands up in Glee club, and he sings a solo, even though they're all supposed to be preparing for their solo performances at prom (Kurt hasn't even picked a song yet). The whole thing feels far too much like something Rachel would do, and Kurt is more than a little self-conscious, but he knows that he has to do this because it's the only way he'll have the courage to say what needs to be said.

' _Every night I remember that evening_

_The way you looked when you said you were leaving_

_The way you cried as you turned to walk away_ ,' Kurt is staring fixedly at a point on the wall as he sings, because even though he knows he has to do it, this is harder than he wants it to be.

' _And I'm a little bit lost without you_

_And I'm a bloody big mess inside_

_And I'm a little bit lost without you_

_This ain't a love song this is goodbye_

_This ain't a love song this is goodbye_ ,' as Kurt sings the chorus, he allows his eyes to wander, although never to the person he's singing to. He can't do that quite yet.

' _I've been lost, I've been out, I've been losing_

_I've been tired; I'm all hurt and confusion_

_I've been mad; I'm the kind of man that I'm not_

_I'm going down; I'll be coming back fighting_

_I may be scared and a little bit frightened_

_But I'll be back; I'll be coming back to life_

_I'll be coming back to life,_ ' Kurt closes his eyes as he sings, willing himself to be strong enough.

' _And I'm a little bit lost without you_

_And I'm a bloody big mess inside_

_And I'm a little bit lost without you_

_This ain't a love song this is goodbye_

_This ain't a love song this is goodbye_ ,' Kurt casts his eyes around the room again, meeting the eyes of several people, but he doesn't find the one he's looking for. He keeps on singing, and as he does, Santana and Rachel come forwards to sing the backup vocals. He smiles at them, and Santana winks at him and gives him her " _I've got your back_ " smile.

' _It's alright, 'cause you can try but you'll never keep me down_

_It's alright, I may be lost but you'll never keep me down_

_You can try, you can try but you'll never keep me down_

_You can try, I know I'm lost but I'm waiting to be found_

_You'll never keep me down_

_You'll never keep me down_

_Never keep me down_ …' Kurt finally makes eye contact with Blaine, who looks back at him with something very like regret. For once, Kurt really doesn't know what Blaine is feeling, but then, he doesn't really know how _he's_ feeling, so he figures that that's probably okay. Blaine nods at Kurt, and he's pretty sure that it's Blaine's way of acknowledging what Kurt is trying to say. The nod, and it's slightly unclear meaning reminds Kurt of Blaine nodding to Sebastian in the auditorium, and Kurt resolves to ask Sebastian about it later, when they meet for coffee.

Kurt's plans, however, are thwarted, when despite his repeated and insistent asking, all Sebastian will say is " _I'll tell you after Prom, okay?_ "

It's almost nice to know that he's not the only one keeping secrets.

* * *

**The song used is _This Ain't a Love Song_ by Scouting for Girls**

* * *

**Again, I'm sorry this is so short, but I think everything works better this way.**


	7. Don't run away

A week flies past, and before Kurt knows it, he's carefully styling his hair, and agonising over his tie. He is still pondering decision when the doorbell rings, and, sure enough, when he looks out of his window, Sebastian's car is on the street outside. With a mumbled expletive, Kurt abandons his ties, and heads downstairs.

Sebastian is stood at the bottom of the stairs with his hands behind his back, looking nervous, and Kurt can't help but smile.

'You look fantastic, princess.' Sebastian says, by way of greeting.

'So do you.' Kurt smiles. 'I'm not ready yet, though. I haven't picked a tie.' As he says this, Kurt's gaze drops to Sebastian's tie, and he can't help but laugh.

'Sebastian, please tell me that isn't your Dalton tie?' Kurt asks, through his slightly exasperated laughter, and he's pretty sure he already knows the answer.

'Yeah.' Sebastian smiles a little sheepishly. 'But I figure you're not allowed to judge me or be annoyed or anything because I brought you flowers.' And, so saying, Sebastian holds out a bouquet of a dozen red roses, mixed with a pretty white flower that Kurt can't place.

'I, um…' Kurt isn't really sure what to say. 'I wasn't expecting you to do that.'

'I thought you might like them.' Sebastian holds them out to him. 'Anyway, it felt appropriate.'

'Thank you.' Kurt smiles, inwardly cursing the faint blush he can feel creeping across his cheeks. 'I should find some water for them.'

'I got it, kiddo.' Burt says, poking his head out of the kitchen door. Kurt hands the flowers to his father, before turning back to Sebastian, who is, as ever, smirking.

'I'm going to find a tie.' Kurt tells him.

'I'm coming with you.' Sebastian smiles, starting up the stairs after Kurt, who isn't really sure whether to protest or not, and so says nothing.

Sebastian follows Kurt to his vanity table, where almost two dozen boxes sit open, and each one displaying a different tie.

'I think you should let me pick.' Sebastian says, and Kurt raises an eyebrow.

'That seems like a monumentally stupid idea.' Kurt says. 'I've seen the way you dress.'

'You wound me, princess.' Sebastian laughs. 'I bought you flowers, _and_ I'm buying you dinner. So I get to pick your tie.'

'You're buying me dinner?' Kurt asks, surprised. They had agreed to make the traditional pre-Prom trip to Breadstix, but he'd assumed that they would split the cost.

'Yeah.' Sebastian shrugs. 'Just… humour me.'

'Okay.' Kurt nods. 'You can pick the tie.'

'Close your eyes.' Sebastian tells him, with a smirk. Kurt shakes his head at Sebastian in exasperation, but does as he's told anyway.

'Okay.' Sebastian says a few minutes later, when the tie is secured around Kurt's neck. Kurt opens his eyes, looks down, and laughs. He is wearing a blue and red tie, identical to Sebastian's.

'Really?' Kurt sighs.

'Now we match.' Sebastian smirks. 'It also means that people will know we're there together.'

Kurt's breath catches in his throat, even though he knows he's taking this the wrong way.

'I mean.' Sebastian continues hastily. 'I'm sure some of your lot might think I'm crashing to be a dick, or whatever, and I'd _really_ like to leave there alive.'

'Mercedes is on our side.' Kurt tells him, which makes Sebastian laugh.

'I feel so safe.' He chuckles. 'Now, come on. I'm pretty sure it's time to eat.'

Kurt nods in agreement, and, once Carole has taken a picture of the two of them looking uncomfortable in their suits and matching ties, they are on their way to Breadstix.

.

Kurt enjoys the dinner, despite the fact that he's terrified of saying or doing something that will make how he feels about Sebastian obvious, and he doesn't want to ruin tonight, not yet. He wants as much time as he can have before he screws this up and Sebastian decides never to talk to him again.

'You look like you're contemplating the meaning of life, princess.' Sebastian chuckles. 'Get anywhere?'

'Not really, no.' Kurt shrugs and smiles. 'You're giving that cheesecake a pretty intense glare.'

'Yeah well,' Sebastian runs a hand through his hair, and Kurt is surprised to see that he looks _nervous_. 'I've never done this sort of thing before, and I'm still pretty sure Satan over there is going to kill me,' Sebastian nods towards Santana, who is holding hands with Brittany a few tables over. 'And I want you to have fun, but seeing as I have no idea what the fuck I'm doing…' Sebastian trails off, biting his lip (which Kurt tries not to stare at) and resuming his staring contest with his dessert.

'First of all, _Santana_ isn't going to kill you.' Kurt laughs lightly. 'And second, just… relax. I'm having fun.' It feels strange to be reassuring Sebastian, when, so often, it is the other way around.

'Good.' Sebastian says, in a tone that implies no more will be said on the matter, and grins at Kurt. 'Are you done?'

'Yeah.' Kurt nods. He normally feels self-conscious eating in front of others, but there's something about Sebastian that relaxes him. There are no expectations, not really. It's almost too easy, just laughing and joking together, and Kurt doesn't have to worry about Sebastian judging him on what he orders, or how he eats it because it's Sebastian, and they're too busy having fun.

Kurt tries not to smile like a delighted schoolgirl when Sebastian insists on paying, because they'd decided that earlier. It still feels a little like a date though.

.

When they arrive at Prom, Kurt and Sebastian pose for a photograph on the way in, and this time it isn't awkward. Sebastian slips his arm around Kurt's waist and whispers 'smile, princess,' in his ear, and Kurt does, although it's mostly because Sebastian is tickling him. Sebastian's arm says where it is- curled protectively around Kurt- right up until they reach the gym hall, where music is already playing loudly and people are dancing.

'Fucking _homos.'_ The hissed insult comes from a group of jocks standing around the entrance, laughing to themselves.

'What was that?' Sebastian asks, turning very slowly and deliberately to face the group.

'I said that you're fags.' One of the boys- a hockey player Kurt doesn't know- laughs. 'Why, what're you gonna do about it?'

Before Kurt has tine to blink, Sebastian has the boy pinned against the wall, forearm across his throat.

'Apologise.' Sebastian says simply. 'Apologise to Kurt, _right now_ , or I swear you'll regret it.'

'Sorry…' the boy gasps. 'Sorry. I didn't mean it.'

Sebastian takes a step back, and the boy crumples to the floor. He turns to Kurt, and smiles a little nervously.

'Come on, Seb.' Kurt rolls his eyes, torn between embarrassment, exasperation, and something he can't quite name- something warm that makes him want to smile, because Sebastian is looking after him.

'Assholes.' Sebastian grimaces.

'I've had worse.' Kurt shrugs, and giving Sebastian's hand a reassuring squeeze.

'That doesn't make it okay.' Sebastian says, frowning a little, and Kurt tries not to think that Sebastian looks sort of cute, with his nose scrunched up.

'Cheer up.' Kurt says firmly. 'We're supposed to be having fun.'

'Sorry, princess.' Sebastian laughs. 'Time to dance, then?'

Kurt nods, and allows Sebastian to pull him towards the dance floor.

.

Their last dance before its Kurt's turn to perform is a slow dance. It is Sebastian who suggests that they join the couples on the floor, and Kurt doesn't protest when Sebastian rests his hands on Kurt's waist- he just put his arms around Sebastian's neck, allowing himself to relax into the gentle swaying of the dance. Sebastian smells good, Kurt thinks, and it isn't just his expensive cologne. Kurt is pretty sure he could stay like this for hours, but, all too soon, the dance is over and Kurt has to take to the stage, leaving Sebastian with Mercedes and Sam, who are finally talking again.

Kurt's song choice is a product of many hours of agonizing over what to pick. He has known from the start that he wants something upbeat- something people can dance to- and he's very certain this fits the bill.

And if it happens to be one of Sebastian's favourite songs on one of his favourite albums, Kurt doesn't know anything about that.

The music starts, and Kurt can't help but feel nervous. He's not performed a song like this for quite a while.

' _We are the sure fire winners, winners, winners, winners…_

_We're coming up like killing machines_

_Our big gun's gonna shatter your scene_

_It's pandemonium on the floor_

_'Cause everybody wants a little more_

_They wanna ride on the rocket ship_

_Ride around the moon for a velvet kiss_

_'Cause all the girls and the boys wanna know_

_How far this bad wild child's gonna go?'_ Kurt allows himself to relax into the song, the throbbing beat of the music. He can feel people's eyes on him, even though his own are closed, and he's pretty sure it's got something to do with the fact that he's dancing on the spot.

' _We are the sure fire winners_

_Uh-oh yeah, big time hitters_

_We are the sure fire winners_

_Uh-oh yeah, big time hitters_

_Bringing the heat and the word is out_

_Giving you something to shout about_

_We are, yeah, we are, we are the sure fire winners,'_ Kurt opens his eyes, and looks for Sebastian.

' _I was born with glitter on my face_

_My baby clothes made of leather and lace_

_And all the girls in the club wanna know_

_Where did all their pretty boys go?'_ Kurt spots Sebastian sitting on a chair, looking both astonished and impressed. Without thinking, Kurt drops Sebastian a wink on the last line of the verse, and he can see Sebastian laughing and clapping.

Kurt dances around the stage as he sings, because it's the sort of song you can't help but want to dance to, and the Prom-goes in front of the stage are all dancing and laughing too- he can see Puck dancing with Santana and Brittany, all three of them smiling broadly.

' _We are the sure fire winners_

_Uh-oh yeah, big time hitters_

_We are the sure fire winners_

_Uh-oh yeah, big time hitters_

_Bringing the heat and the word is out_

_Giving you something to shout about_

_Yeah we are, yeah, we are, we are the sure fire winners_

_Gonna take you to the top, to the brink of what you believe, yeah_

_Gonna take you to the top, to the brink of what you believe_

_Gonna take you to the top, to the brink of what you believe,_ ' when the song finishes, the lights go out for two seconds, and everybody claps and cheers as Kurt hops off the stage and over to a waiting Sebastian.

'Damn, Hummel.' Sebastian laughs. ' _Work it_.' he winks at Kurt, and they laugh- Kurt still high on adrenaline from performing.

'That was amazing.' Sebastian tells Kurt. 'And hot.'

Kurt blushes, inwardly cursing Sebastian's lack of a filter.

'Oh, princess.' Sebastian smirks. 'You're adorable when you blush.'

'Shut up.' Kurt rolls his eyes.

'Fine, fine.' Sebastian laughs at Kurt's irritated expression. 'Shall we dance?'

'Give me a minute to get my breath back.' Kurt shakes his head.

'I don't think we've got time for that.' Sebastian says, his tone suddenly hard. 'Gay Cyclops at two o'clock, and rapidly approaching.'

Kurt follows Sebastian's gaze, bemused, and his eyes fall on Blaine, who is rapidly approaching and looking determined.

'Hey, Kurt.' Sebastian sounds thoughtful, and when Kurt meets his eyes, they're glinting mischievously. 'What do you say we give him the slip?'

Kurt knows that the mature, sensible thing to do here would be to stay where he is, and let Blaine say his piece, but tonight Kurt doesn't really feel like being mature, or even particularly sensible, so he takes Sebastian's hand, and together they run right across the dance floor, leaving Blaine looking around in bewilderment.

Kurt is laughing long before they've completed three circuits of the hall. He and Sebastian keep catching glances of a perplexed Blaine, who doesn't seem to be able to see them at all, even though at one point they were less than two metres behind him before darting off again.

'This is ridiculous.' Kurt manages through his laughter.

'But fun.' Sebastian chuckles. 'I can't believe he hasn't spotted us yet. We were right behind him, and he was totally clueless.'

'I think he's spotted us.' Kurt pants, pointing at the figure advancing towards him.

'Yeah. That's him. You can tell from the light shining off his hair.' Sebastian laughs. 'So where do we hide now, princess?'

'Choir room.' Kurt says, after a moment of deliberation. 'I don't think he'll expect us to go there.'

'Then lead the way.' Sebastian grins, and Kurt is already pulling him towards the doors that lead to the corridor. The halls are empty, but the sounds of their laughter and footsteps are masked by the music that's still perfectly audible on the other side of the school.

The choir room door is unlocked, and the two stumble inside, breathless from laughing.

'Will he find us here?' Sebastian pants, through an impressively wide smile.

'If he realises we're here, there's nowhere to hide.' Kurt shrugs. 'But I don't know if he'll work out where we've gone at all.'

'Good.' Sebastian drapes an arm around Kurt, using it to swing him round so that they're face to face and very nearly touching. 'I've got you all to myself.'

'Really, Seb?' Kurt raises an eyebrow, trying to ignore the fact that his heartbeat has sped up again.

'Am I making you uncomfortable?' Sebastian asks, and Kurt is almost positive that the other boy is staring at his mouth.

'I... yeah.' Kurt bites his lip, and extricates himself from Sebastian.

'Sorry, princess.' Sebastian runs a hand through his hair. 'Guess I got carried away.'

'It's okay.' Kurt says, before he can stop himself. 'I don't really mind…'

He's starting to think that Sebastian's lack of filter is contagious, because that's the sort of thing he normally self-censors around Sebastian.

'Oh?' Sebastian arches an eyebrow, a smirk playing on his lips. 'And why's that?' he takes a step closer to Kurt, and then another, until they're so close Kurt can count Sebastian's eyelashes.

'I…' Kurt is finding it frustratingly hard to form coherent sentences.

'Oh. Right. Okay.' Blaine says from the doorway, and Kurt steps back from Sebastian, who is staring at Blaine with poorly concealed irritation.

Sebastian nods to Blaine, by way of a hello, and Blaine nods back.

Kurt thinks they're being terribly melodramatic even though he's almost certain they think they're being badass or whatever with their silent nods.

'Hey, Blaine.' Kurt says, a little nervously.

'Hey, Kurt.' Blaine smiles tentatively. 'I wanted to talk to you.'

'We were kind of busy, Anderson.' Sebastian sighs, and Kurt can't be bothered to be annoyed with Sebastian for the implications in that statement.

'Seb let him talk.' Kurt says, because all this nodding has reminded him of the nod in the auditorium, the one Kurt is still owed an explanation for.

'I just wanted to say sorry.' Blaine sighs. 'Because I should have talked to you. We should have been calm and rational about you going to New York. I didn't have the right to make decisions like us just being friends without talking to you first.'

'Blaine, don't.' Kurt shakes his head. 'It's… it's okay.' Kurt hears Sebastian take a surprised breath at this. 'I mean, you _didn't_ have the right to decide where our relationship was going all by yourself, and yes, of course we should have talked it over… but it's okay. It's fine.'

'I'm still sorry.' Blaine shrugs, a wry smile pulling at his lips, as he moves forwards. 'Friends?' he extends a hand to Kurt, who doesn't know what to do. He's over Blaine, and that realisation washes over him like ice water. But a little part of Kurt will always love Blaine, will always care about him, because he's the first person Kurt ever loved, and that's always going to mean something.

Kurt thinks about Sebastian's mother and father, and how they were in love, but are now friends, about how Sebastian's dad still cares enough about his ex-wife to be waiting for her when she comes out of surgery, and about how, even though they aren't in love that way anymore, they can still love one another as friends.

Kurt reaches out, and shakes Blaine's hand.

'Friends.' He smiles, and Blaine grins back.

'I should go.' Blaine smiles, releasing Kurt's hand. 'I'm supposed to be singing in like, five minutes, so…'

'Well, go on then.' Sebastian says, with just a hint of annoyance in his tone. 'I'm sure we'll see you around.'

Blaine gives Kurt a funny little wave, and leaves the room without another word.

'You didn't have to do that, Kurt.' Sebastian says, without looking at him.

'I know.' Kurt shrugs. 'But I wanted to.'

'Why?' Sebastian asks. 'He broke up with you, Kurt. You don't owe him anything.'

'I know that, Seb.' Kurt laughs a little. 'But I want to be his friend.'

'I'm never going to understand you.' Sebastian runs a hand through his hair, and smiles.

Kurt thinks he might be blushing a little, but he can't help smiling, because he's pretty sure that's a compliment.

'So,' Kurt gathers his courage, and raises an eyebrow at Sebastian. 'What've you and Blaine got with nodding at each other? I know, I know, you said you'd tell me what the thing in the auditorium was about after Prom but…'

'First of all, Blaine and I do not have a thing about nodding at each other.' Sebastian gives Kurt a disparaging look. 'And the nod in the auditorium was Blaine agreeing with something I said.'

'What?' Kurt is utterly nonplussed.

'After Blaine broke up with you, you weren't the only one I texted.' Sebastian shrugs. 'I was mostly asking what he thought he was doing, because you were a complete mess, and then he told me to back off.' Sebastian pauses, and gives Kurt a slightly nervous look. 'I said that I, unlike him, wasn't about to hurt you. That I was going to try and make you happy. That little nod was him backing off, giving up, whatever. Because I was right and he was wrong. I can make you happy.'

'I…' Kurt is pretty sure he looks like a goldfish right now, because all he can do is open and close his mouth and no sound is coming out.

'Yes, princess?' Sebastian smirks, moving so that he's once again very much invading Kurt's personal space, but half a second later, that doesn't matter so much because Kurt is kissing Sebastian, who pulls Kurt a little closer, so that there is no longer any space between them at all.

And then, just as suddenly as they had started, Sebastian stops.

'Kurt…' he sighs. 'Kurt you shouldn't be doing this.'

The words feel like a slap around the face.

'Sorry.' Kurt mumbles, in a small, small voice.

'What? Fuck- no. don't _apologise_. It's not that I don't want to kiss you. I _do_ want to kiss you…' Sebastian trails off, seemingly becoming aware of the fact that he's rambling. 'Kurt, you shouldn't because you've just gotten over Blaine.'

'I don't care.' Kurt says simply. 'I don't _care_ , Sebastian. I like you. And I want…' Kurt's voice fails him, because he can't have what he wants- a relationship with Sebastian, because at the end of the day, this is Sebastian Smythe, and he doesn't do monogamy.

'What do you want?' Sebastian asks, with a gentleness that surprises Kurt. 'A one night thing? Because I don't think I can do that.' Sebastian seems to realise that he's lost Kurt again here. 'I don't want to just fuck you.' Sebastian sighs heavily. 'I want to buy you flowers and do all the corny romantic things people do in movies, because I bet you're totally into that crap, and I want you to be happy.' Sebastian groans. 'Fuck this. I'm just making an ass out of myself. I don't even know what I'm doing.'

'Go out with me.' Kurt says, before he can stop himself, and really, he's going to have to do something about his newfound lack of filter. 'Go out with me.' He repeats, his voice less steady this time. 'Be my boyfriend. Or whatever.'

'I- fuck, Kurt.' Sebastian looks completely lost for words. 'Did you just ask me out?'

Kurt nods, because he doesn't trust himself to speak.

'Yes.' Sebastian breathes. 'Yes. I want to say yes, but Kurt, you've been single for five weeks, which really isn't that long, and I'm not going to be the jerk who pushes you into another relationship when you're not ready.'

'I want this.' Kurt says. 'I want to be with you. Properly.'

'I have no idea what I'm doing.' Sebastian warns, with a soft laugh, as he moves back in to kiss Kurt again. 'I've never been in a relationship before.'

Kurt just rolls his eyes, and pulls Sebastian down for a kiss.

He's never had to look up to be kissed before, and it feels so wonderfully right that Kurt smiles against a slightly surprised Sebastian's mouth.

They stay at the dance for another hour or two, sharing quick, chaste kisses when nobody's looking, because they figure Rachel would be mad, Santana would threaten Sebastian, Mercedes would be overexcited, and Finn's confusion could potentially infect everybody in the immediate area. When Sebastian drops Kurt home, they kiss on the porch, hands tangling in one another's hair, and promise that they'll call tomorrow.

* * *

Much later, when Kurt has been home for nearly two hours, he is getting ready for bed, seated at his vanity table, next to a vase containing the flowers Sebastian brought him, and replacing the lids on his little pots of moisturiser. He has just tightened the lid on the last of the pots when the tapping starts. It's coming from the window, he thinks, but he can't be sure, because although the sounds are relatively loud, and insistent, there is no regular rhythm to them.

Exasperated, Kurt gets up to go and look, pulling the curtains aside to reveal the street blow. Sebastian is standing in the arc of light cast by a streetlamp, with a handful of gravel from next door's driveway, and a smile. He waves at Kurt, who laughs, because Sebastian is an impulsive idiot sometimes, and opens the window.

'What are you doing?' Kurt demands through his laughter.

'Can I come in?' Sebastian calls back. 'Because I've driven here from Westerville, and I'm really fuckin' tired.'

'Why are you here?' Kurt asks, raising his eyebrows.

Sebastian shrugs. 'I wanted to surprise you.' he pauses before adding 'it was Charlie's idea.'

'Now, that I can believe.' Kurt laughs. 'Wait there. I'll come down and let you in.'

Kurt closes the window, and creeps downstairs, because the clock on his nightstand is telling him it's midnight, which means that Carole and his dad are almost certainly asleep.

'Hey, princess.' Sebastian smirks when Kurt opens the door to let him in. 'did I wake you up?' he asks, gesturing to Kurt's pyjama-clad self.

'No,' Kurt shakes his head. 'I was moisturizing.'

'You're such a stereotype, babe.' Sebastian teases in a hushed whisper as he follows Kurt upstairs. Kurt isn't actually sure what they're going to do when they get to his room, because even though Sebastian is his boyfriend now, they've officially only been together for three hours, and they haven't even told anybody yet.

Kurt thinks that his unspoken question has been answered when they reach his room, because Sebastian is kissing him, and it's not as soft or gentle as their previous kisses, and the way Sebastian is pulling him close, and running long fingered hands down his back is making Kurt thinks of things that are a lot less innocent than kissing.

'Do you want me to sleep on the floor?' Sebastian asks when he pulls away, and all Kurt can do is blink at him in surprise, because he doesn't know what he was expecting, but it sure as hell wasn't that.

'What?' Kurt asks, feeling more than a little stupid.

'Well, it's your bed.' Sebastian shrugs, as though this clears everything up.

'We could share it?' Kurt suggest tentatively, because he's really got no idea what to say.

'That's a good idea.' Sebastian nods. 'But not… not like that. I mean, it's not that I don't want to fuck you, because I really do. You're smoking hot and I'll swear to that statement in court, but…' Sebastian pauses before continuing. 'It's just… we should wait. Before we go all the way.'

Kurt has spent enough time with Sebastian to know that tone of voice, to know that it means that Sebastian won't carry on until he's ready.

'My first time wasn't special.' Sebastian says eventually. 'I was drunk and the guy was twice my age. So I told myself that it didn't matter, that losing my virginity like that doesn't matter. But it does, Kurt, it really does. And I want our first time to be special. For it to matter.'

'Okay.' Kurt nods, and squeezes Sebastian's hand reassuringly, because really, that's what he wants too. 'But you're wearing too many clothes to sleep in, so some of those are going to have to come off.'

'You just want me to take off my clothes, don't you?' Sebastian winks, already shrugging off the button down shirt that's hanging open over a grey tee.

Kurt shoves him gently, and laughs. 'Keep telling yourself that.' He grins at Sebastian, who is now stepping out of his jeans.

'Bedtime?' Sebastian asks, once his discarded clothes are folded neatly on a chair.

'Bedtime.' Kurt agrees, taking Sebastian by the hand, and pulling him towards the bed with more confidence than he feels, because this isn't something he's ever really done before.

As Kurt falls asleep, with Sebastian's arm curled around him protectively, he lets all the little things worrying him drift away, and allows himself to relax into the moment.

Tomorrow, he will have to deal with his father's reaction to finding a boy dressed only in a t-shirt and boxers in bed with him. Tomorrow, he and Sebastian will update their relationship statuses on Facebook, and Kurt will have to deal with the reactions of his fellow Glee club members. He will have to learn how to be friends with Blaine, and he knows that it won't be easy.

But for now, he is here with Sebastian, warm and safe, and he doesn't have to worry about a thing.

* * *

**Song used is _Sure Fire Winners_ by Adam Lambert**


	8. I'm all you need

Kurt's awakening on Saturday morning isn't the gentlest, but that's mostly because his father is standing over him and swearing like a sailor.

'Kurt!' Burt manages, when the stream of expletives finally stops. 'Just _what_ is going on here?'

'Good morning, Mr. Hummel, sir.' Sebastian says, before Kurt can answer. 'I can explain, I promise.'

'Good.' Burt says shortly. 'Explain.'

'None of this is Kurt's fault.' Sebastian says quickly. 'I came over at about midnight last night, and it was too late for me to drive all the way back to Westerville, so he let me sleep here.'

'There were no… shenanigans?' Burt says, and the word really ought to be funny, but Kurt is too busy being horribly uncomfortable to laugh.

'None at all, Mr. Hummel.' Sebastian says, and Kurt inwardly marvels at his boyfriend's ability to be polite.

Oh god.

_Sebastian is his boyfriend._

That's a terrifying thought.

'Why were you here in the middle of the night?' Kurt's dad just looks confused now.

'He's my boyfriend.' Kurt says, before he can stop himself.

'I wanted to surprise him.' Sebastian adds, with a slightly nervous laugh. 'It was my brother's idea, sir.'

'Wait, you two are like… going out?' Kurt finds his father's perplexed expression oddly gratifying. 'When did that happen?'

'Yesterday,' Kurt supplies. 'At Prom.'

Burt nods slowly. 'Get dressed. Come downstairs, Carole's making pancakes. We'll talk over breakfast.'

Kurt nods, relief surging through him as his father turns to leave.

'When you're both in here, I want the door to stay open, okay?' Burt calls over his shoulder, and Kurt replies with a muttered affirmative, blushing into his pillow.

'That went well.' Sebastian says cheerfully.

'that was awful.' Kurt groans. 'Breakfast is going to be horribly uncomfortable.'

'Last time a Congressman found me in bed with his son I was given five minutes to get dressed before being escorted from the premises by a security guard. Or ten.' Sebastian grins. 'So I'd say that was something of a success.'

'Do I even want to ask?' Kurt groans, extricating himself from the duvet.

'Probably not.' Sebastian laughs. 'Now, where did I put my trousers?'

'You can't just put your trousers on.' Kurt frowns. 'You need to change your underwear and your t-shirt too, probably.'

'I wasn't prepared enough to bring clean clothes.' Sebastian grimaces. 'It didn't even occur to me, actually.'

Kurt sighs, because he's got two options here, and one of them is just plain gross.

'Wait there.' Kurt tells Sebastian. 'I'll be back in a moment.'

Kurt rummages through the drawers in his dresser until he finds what he's looking for- one of the stretchy black tees he wears under his overalls when he helps out at the garage, and a pair of boxers.

He's not quite sure how he feels about Sebastian wearing his underwear.

'Here you go.' Kurt hands the clothes to Sebastian, who raises his eyebrows.

'Oh god, we're going to end up as one of those couples that argues over who hangs up first, aren't we?' Sebastian says, with mock distress.

'That's coming from you, who threw pebbles at my window last night.' Kurt laughs.

'It was Charlie's idea.' Sebastian protests. 'And you loved it.'

'It was adorable.' Kurt concedes. 'Now, take a shower and put some clothes on.' He points at his en suite bathroom. 'There are towels in there, and a spare toothbrush in the medicine cabinet.'

'What about you?' Sebastian asks, as he slides out of bed.

'I'll use the bathroom down the hall.' Kurt shrugs. 'I think it's best to keep you in here for as long as possible.'

'You worry too much, princess.' Sebastian laughs, but he makes his way to Kurt's bathroom anyway, stopping to kiss Kurt lightly on the cheek as he passes.

.

Kurt showers and cleans his teeth in the bathroom down the hall, washing the stickiness of sleep from his skin, and letting the warm water wake him up. Before he does his hair, he dresses in skinny jeans and one of his favourite Marc Jacob's shirts, because Sebastian has seen him in his pyjamas, and with morning hair to boot, and at this point it probably doesn't matter what he wears. Although that's not to say that Kurt doesn't look as fabulously fashionable as he always does, today he just has fewer layers.

'Looking good, princess.' Sebastian smirks, as Kurt re-enters the bedroom, fully dressed, and with perfectly coiffed hair.

'You don't look so bad yourself.' Kurt smiles, and tries not to look at the way the black t-shirt Sebastian is wearing is definitely too tight, because the lines of his six pack and abs are clearly defined, and Kurt swears he can almost see the tattoo on Sebastian's ribs.

'That's because I'm gorgeous.' Sebastian laughs, brushing damp hair from his eyes.

'Well, your good looks aren't going to help you win over my father.' Kurt sighs. 'Come on, we probably shouldn't keep him waiting.'

'Wait.' Sebastian says, catching Kurt's wrist as he turns to leave the room. 'C'mere.' Sebastian pulls Kurt to him, spinning him around so that their chests are pressed flush together, and, dropping Kurt's wrist, Sebastian reaches to tilt Kurt's face up the half inch it takes for them to be able to kiss.

Not for the last time, Kurt is surprised by how soft Sebastian's lips are, by how gentle his touches are, and Kurt wonders if Sebastian touches everyone like this, or if it's just Kurt. There's something in the way Sebastian's hands slide up under Kurt's shirt, something like hesitation, that makes Kurt think that Sebastian is a little more nervous about being in a relationship than he's letting on.

'Come on then.' Sebastian says, slipping a hand into Kurt's. 'No sense in putting this off any longer.'

When they arrive downstairs, fingers still locked together, Burt Hummel is sat at the kitchen table, with a mug of coffee and a frown.

'Sit down, boys.' Carole says, smiling. Kurt and Sebastian sit, finally letting go of one another's hands.

'Alright.' Burt sighs. 'What's going on here?'

'Sebastian is my boyfriend.' Kurt says.

'That I am.' Sebastian nods.

'Okay.' Burt nods. 'And do your family know about this, Sebastian?'

'My brother knows.' Sebastian shrugs. 'I haven't told my mom and dad yet. They're in France right now, and what with the time difference, there's not really been chance to tell them yet.'

'Okay.' Burt says again, and then he turns to Kurt. 'Are you gonna be happy, Kurt?'

'Yes.' Kurt nods.

'And you're sure this is what you want?'

'Absolutely.' Kurt doesn't think he's capable of answers consisting of more than one word.

'Alright then.' Burt sighs, and rubs his eyes, before fixing Sebastian with an intimidating glare. 'You look after my son, you hear me?'

'Believe me, sir, if I ever do _anything_ to hurt Kurt, I will present myself to be killed in whatever way you see fit. But honestly, if I hurt him, I'm pretty sure he's capable of killing me himself.' Sebastian replies, with just a hint of his usual smirk.

'Glad to hear it.' Burt says, with a hint of a smile. 'I just want to lay out a few ground rules, okay?'

Kurt and Sebastian nod.

'Good. When you're alone in a room together, in my house, the door stays open. If Carole and I are away one night, and you two are going to be here alone, tell us so first. I expect you to be honest with me.' Burt pauses. 'That's all.'

'Yes, sir.' Sebastian nods. It's odd to hear Sebastian call someone _sir_ , or, indeed, to address anyone with anything like respect. Luckily, the conversation is cut short by the arrival of pancakes before Sebastian can say anything too inappropriate.

.

After breakfast, during which Sebastian is uncharacteristically polite and charming, and Kurt is a little surprised at how well the other boy has slipped into the boyfriend role, the two head back up to Kurt's room, where, nervously, they change their relationship statuses, before promptly logging out so that they don't have to see their friends' reactions right away. The idea is a good one on principle, until Rachel and Mercedes start texting Kurt, demanding explanations, and Sebastian gets the same treatment from his fellow Warblers. In the end, they turn their phones off, with promises to explain things to their friends later.

They spend the day in Westerville, lying on Sebastian's ludicrously large bed, intermittently talking, kissing, and watching movies. Charlie joins them for an hour or two around lunchtime, bearing homemade toasted sandwiches, and, when Sebastian goes downstairs to get drinks, Charlie turns to Kurt.

'You took your time.' He says. 'Honestly. I've put up with _weeks_ of Sebastian talking about you, and how wonderful you and your ass are. It was getting ridiculous.'

'Well I'm sorry for the inconvenience.' Kurt raises his eyebrows. 'But really, how was I supposed to know?'

'He serenaded you in front of your entire Glee club.' Charlie grimaces. 'What more did you want?'

'Something a little less ambiguous?' Kurt shrugs.

'Useless.' Charlie says, with a laugh. 'But I'm glad you two finally got your acts together.'

'Yeah.' Kurt agrees. 'So am I.'

'You look after him, okay?' Charlie says, fixing Kurt with a serious look. 'I know he's eighteen and he's going to college next year, but he's still my baby brother. Like I said before, you make him happy, Kurt. He was practically skipping when he came home last night and told me you were his boyfriend. Don't mess it up. Don't let him mess it up either.'

'I won't.' Kurt promises.

'Good.' Charlie nods. 'And I thought you might want this, because it'll save you an awkward conversation.' He hands Kurt a folded piece of paper. 'Seb won't give you it himself, but you should see it anyway.'

Confused, Kurt unfolds the paper. It takes him a moment or two to realise that these are medical test results. Sebastian's test results.

'I don't…' Kurt begins, and then, with a widening of his eyes he mutters ' _oh.'_

'He's completely clean.' Charlie shrugs. 'He gets checked once a month, I know 'cause I take him to the clinic. But I thought you might want to know.'

Kurt feels so intensely awkward he doesn't know what to say, but he manages a nod, and something that sounds like a thank-you, because he really is grateful to Charlie for this.

'Charlie, what are you doing to my boyfriend?' Sebastian asks, backing into the room, carrying a tray. 'Fuck, that sounds so weird coming out of my mouth.'

'You have come in your mouth?' Charlie grins, and Kurt rolls his eyes.

'You two are ridiculous.' He says, with an exasperate sigh.

'You love us.' Charlie winks, rolling off the bed.

'Careful there.' Sebastian says, slapping his brother upside the head.

'You really need to work on the whole _possessive_ , _doesn't play well with others_ thing, Seb.' Charlie laughs, poking his little brother in the ribs.

'Fuck off.' Sebastian says, with a charming smile. Charlie laughs some more, and saunters from the room.

* * *

On Friday, during Glee club, after a week of disapproving looks, snide remarks and general confusion regarding his relationship with Sebastian, Kurt receives a not-unpleasant surprise. He is sitting with Blaine, and things are a little awkward, but they're coping. Rachel is giving a nationals-themed pep talk, and only Finn is really listening. Kurt would be, but he had his NYADA audition yesterday, and he's internally freaking out, wondering how he did. He's nervous for Rachel too, because god, her audition went terribly, and even though what she managed was fantastic, there's a very, very real chance she won't get into NYADA.

Rachel's talk is cut short by the arrival of a smirking Sebastian, who drops Kurt a wink before turning to an outraged Rachel.

'As much as I hate to interrupt your little inspiring speech, I don't have forever, and this place really does smell.' Sebastian tells her, and Kurt can tell that he's trying not to laugh at the outraged expression on Rachel's face.

'So.' Sebastian says loudly, 'from what I gather, you all think Kurt is too good for me.' Sebastian pauses for a second, and Kurt meets his eyes. 'You're probably right.' He shrugs. 'But seeing as who he's in a relationship with is his choice, not yours, you should probably get over yourselves. I want Kurt to be happy. And I tend to get what I want. So, screw you all.' Sebastian smirks.

'Sebastian.' Blaine sighs. 'You're supposed to be being nice, remember?'

Kurt blinks confusedly, and looks between his boyfriend, and his ex-boyfriend, who are giving one another uneasy looks.

'Why are you even here?' Santana asks, before Kurt can ask what Sebastian and Blaine are doing.

'Hello, Satan. I'm here because Anderson invited me.' Sebastian shrugs, and Santana laughs at the nickname, while everybody else exchanges confused glances, or shoots accusatory looks at Blaine.

'I invited you here because you asked me to.' Blaine sighs.

'And doesn't it just make you feel wonderful about yourself?' Sebastian rolls his eyes. 'I believe I was promised a guitar?'

'Over there.' Blaine nods at an acoustic guitar, which Sebastian picks up with a smile.

'Wonderful.' He drags a chair forwards, and takes a seat. 'Just…' he pauses. 'Let this clear up any doubts you might have. And if it doesn't work, then I don't really care.' And, so saying, Sebastian begins to sing.

' _Wherever you go_

_You know I'll be there_

_If you go far,_

_You know I'll be there_

_I'll go anywhere,_

_So I'll see you there,_ ' he smirks at Kurt, who can't help but smile, because for someone who's never had a relationship, Sebastian is actually pretty good at being romantic, although Kurt suspects Charlie's involvement.

' _You place the name_

_You know I'll be there_

_You name the time_

_You know I'll be there_

_I'll go anywhere_

_So I'll see you there,'_

Sebastian is doing that thing, where he looks at Kurt and just smiles softly. It makes Kurt smile too, because Sebastian rarely looks genuinely happy.

' _I don't care if you don't mind_

_I'll be there not far behind_

_I will dare_

_Keep in mind_

_I'll be there for you,'_ the band, who have an impressive repertoire, begin to join in, until Sebastian's guitar playing blends in with the playing of the band.

_Where there's truth_

_You know I'll be there_

_Amongst the lies_

_You know I'll be there_

_I'll go anywhere_

_So I'll see you there_

Sebastian sets down the guitar, but doesn't move from his seat. The members of the New Directions are looking around at one another, unsure as to what to do.

' _I don't care if you don't mind_

_I'll be there not far behind_

_I will dare_

_Keep in mind_

_I'll be there for you_

_If you should fall_

_You know I'll be there_

_To catch the call_

_You know I'll be there_

_I'll go anywhere_

_So I'll see you there,'_ Sebastian is standing now, and his hands are moving. Kurt seems to have tunnel vision, he can't take his eyes off Sebastian, but it's okay, because Sebastian is staring right back, a smirk playing on his lips.

' _I don't care if you don't mind_

_I'll be there not far behind_

_I will dare_

_Keep in mind_

_I don't care_

_I'll be there for you_

_I'll be there for you_

_I'll be there for you_ ,' Sebastian finishes the song, still stood in the middle of the choir room, with all eyes on him, the tension is tangible.

And then Mercedes begins to clap, and, in a rush, the others all join in. all of them but Kurt, because he's too busy staring at Sebastian, and he's pretty sure that he's never been happier than he is right now, so he gets up, and practically runs to throw his arms around Sebastian, who laughs in his ear, but pulls him close just the same.

'Well, princess?' Sebastian murmurs.

'I've turned you soft.' Kurt mutters back, and Sebastian laughs again.

'So worth it.' Kurt can hear the smirk in Sebastian's voice as the taller boy turns his head to press a kiss to his lips, and the people arranged behind them break out into wolf-whistles, applause, and uncomfortable muttering, which mainly comes from Finn.

'Coffee?' Sebastian asks, when they move apart.

'Coffee.' Kurt nods, and they move to leave the room.

'You coming, Anderson?' Sebastian calls from the doorway, arm slung carelessly around Kurt's shoulders.

Kurt can tell, even without looking, that Blaine is looking a little confused, and a lot happy. Kurt's pretty happy too, because even though he's near certain that this is Sebastian making it perfectly clear that Kurt is his, he's glad they can be friends.

.

.

Later, when Kurt orders their drinks, his grande non-fat mocha and Sebastian's skinny vanilla latte roll off his tongue with ease, but he very nearly forgets Blaine's medium drip. He realises that it's been six weeks since he's had to order a coffee for Blaine. The thought doesn't bother him anymore.

When Kurt returns to their table, Sebastian entwines their fingers, perhaps a little more possessively than is necessary, but Kurt doesn't really mind, because six weeks ago, he'd never imagined anything like this.

Kurt smiles at the thought, and leans into Sebastian's shoulder.

* * *

**Song used:** _**Poprocks and Coke** _ **by Green Day**

* * *

**I would like to thank Serena, my wonderful friend and RP partner, who has inspired me continuously throughout this fic, and not always deliberately. Like the song choice in this chapter. She's flawless and I love her.**

**You also owe your thanks to a great friend of mine IRL whose intense dislike of Kurtbastian has made me want to write this, just for the sake of being a contrary bastard.**

_**Just to let you know, I'm going to be writing a series of drabbles and oneshots in this 'verse, which will be posted as chapters in a fic entitled Poprocks and Coke. It'll contain bits that I couldn't work into this fic, such as Kurt's NYADA audition, other Kurtbastian ideas I don't want to give up and things inspired by mine and Serena's RP.** _

**Also thank you, one last time, to you. Because you actually read this drivel.**


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